Presiding officers given magistrate powers

FAISALABAD, Oct 30 (APP): Presiding officers have been given
powers of judicial magistrate to deal with elements involved in
creating law and order situation at polling stations.
A spokesman for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
told here on Friday that to make the polling safe and security,
presiding officers had been allowed to award punishment of
imprisonment or fine to those who were involved in creating law
and order situation in polling stations.
The presiding officers have also been empowered to give
punishment to an accused after hearing.
Similarly, the presiding officers have also been empowered
to take action against those who will try to cast their votes
more than one time or found involved in tearing and stealing
ballot papers, or damaging election material including balloting
boxes etc, the spokesman added.