ECP finalizes arrangements to conduct LG elections in ICT

ISLAMABAD, Nov 27 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hold local government elections in 50 union councils (Ucs) of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on November 30th and arrangements has been finalized.
According to spokesman of the ECP,over 2400 candidates are in the field to contest election and around 676,795 registered voters will use their right of vote.Out of total registered voters the strength of male voters in the ICT are 366,899 and female voters 309,896, he said.A total of 640 polling stations will be established and out of which 261 will be for males and 256 for females. However; 123 polling stations will be combined for men and women, he added. He further added that ECP will establish 2,156 polling booths for LG elections and out of which 1,121 for males while 1,035 for females. The ECP will depute 640 Presiding officers, 6,468 Assistant Presiding Officers and 2156 Pos for conducting Local bodies’ election in the federal capital. Moreover, around 4,952 ballot boxes and 2,152 screens of compartment would also be dispatched to the polling stations, he added.
He said that six kinds of ballot papers would be used on 13 seats of each union council and ECP has dispatched over 4 million ballot papers to the District Returning Officers (DROs).
He informed that voters would use green ballot paper for seat of Chairman and white for general seats. Moreover, a voter would cast six votes in LG elections of the ICT, he added.
ECP would also deploy Army, Rangers for security and peaceful conduct of Local Government elections in the capital.
The Commission has also directed the DRO to ensure that polling at all 640 polling stations is started on time.
The polling will begin at 7:30 am and continue till 5:30 pm without any interruption. Now the time duration for balloting will be 10 hours instead of 9 hours.
The commission has also directed the election staff to arrive at their
respective polling stations two hours prior to polling time, he said.