Final electoral rolls cannot be completed before May: Pak EC

Islamabad, Jan 23 (ANI): Pakistan Chief Election Commissioner Justice Hamid Ali Mirza (retd) has made it clear that the final electoral rolls cannot be completed before May.

The Chief Election Commissioner told that the complete voters' lists cannot be prepared by February 23, the deadline given by the Supreme Court (SC). The commission has already sent two summaries regarding the delay, The News quoted Justice Mirza, as saying.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), political parties, civil society and media held a consultative session today to discuss key issues for ensuring credible and transparent elections in the country.

A detailed presentation was given to the participants aiming to share vital tasks to be completed before next general elections while steps were discussed that have been taken to make the electoral process more effective and ensure their transparency and credibility.

Meanwhile, the ECP and NADRA have redoubled their efforts to complete the gigantic task of publishing final voter lists as early as possible.

A total of 10,000 data entry operators are working in three shifts nowadays to complete the publication of Preliminary Electoral Rolls as soon as possible.

National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will hand over computerized voter lists containing names pictures of 80.40 million voters to ECP. As many as 30.70 million unverified votes are being deleted and the names of youngsters having Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) are being added in the new voter lists.

The final electoral rolls are likely to be published in May. (ANI)