Former secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Kanwar Dilshad said Friday that five to 10 percent extra ballot papers can be printed to cope with any emergency situation in the elections but the printing of ballot papers for particular constituencies and the printing of ballot papers from private printing press is unconstitutional.
“Extra ballot papers can always be printed to avoid shortage later during polling. The supervision of extra ballot papers is the responsibility of the Returning Officers,” he said.
Dilshad’s statement came after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan alleged that “extra” ballot papers were printed “at private printing presses for specific constituencies” prior to General Elections 2013 in a bid to “rig the polls”.