Pakistan, India to have periodic meetings at CECs level
Pakistan Times National News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India would have periodic meetings at Chief Election Commissioners, Members of both the Commissions and other high officials levels.

Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Justice (R) Irshad Hasan Khan said this while presiding over a meeting of the Provincial Election Commissioners and Senior Officers of the Election Commission.

The meeting, also attended by Kanwar Dilshad, Secretary Election Commission, was held to get feedback on updating of electoral rolls.

Chief Justice (R) Irshad Hasan Khan, who arrived in Lahore from his six-day official tour to India, said meeting with his Indian counterpart was fruitful.

Sharing Experiences

He shared his experiences on election process in India and discussions that took place during the course of his visit with the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Members Election Commission of India, Chief Justice of India, Speaker Lok Sabha and Dr. M.S. Gill, former Chief Election Commissioner of India and presently Members, Rajya Sabha.

He described his meeting with his Indian counterpart as fruitful and said that it had been agreed in principle between the Election Commission of India and Pakistan that there will be periodic meetings not only between the Chief Election Commissioners but also Members of both the Commissions and other high officials.

Arrangements for LG Polls

The Chief Election Commissioner also reviewed the arrangements made so far the forthcoming local government elections, scheduled to be held in 2005 and described it as satisfactory.

Secretary Election Commission briefed the Chief Election Commissioner on election relating matters and, in particular, the appointment of polling personnel, availability of ballot boxes, requirements of election material for the polling stations/polling booths to be established in provinces and law and order arrangements for the forthcoming local government elections.

Electoral Rolls

He made in depth presentation about his meetings on progress of updating of Electoral Rolls for forthcoming local government elections with the Provincial Election Commissioners and senior officers of the Commission earlier this month.

Rahim Nawaz Khan Durrani, Ahmed Ali Halipota, Abdullah Khan and Ch. Qamaruz Zaman, Provincial Election Commissioners of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan respectively also briefed the Chief Election Commissioner about the progress of updating of Electoral Rolls for the ensuing local government elections.

They informed that they visited several districts in their respective provinces and made surprise checking of the display centers established for the purpose of registration of voters.

They found the arrangements at the display centres satisfactory and that forms at each display center were available in sufficient numbers.

They also informed that due to exhaustive publicity campaign by the Election Commission people were showing greater interest in enrolment of their names as voters and number of requests for enrolment received by the Registration Officers has substantially increased.

Enrolments

Every Provincial Election Commissioner informed the Chief Election Commissioner about number of enrolments so far made by the Registration Officers in their respective provinces, which includes:

Province: Number of Claims filed
Punjab: 1,21,770
Sindh: 2,21,079
NWFP: 58,715
Balochistan: 22,125
Total: 4,23,689

After the presentation by the Secretary Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner emphasized that preparation of an error-free updated Electoral Rolls is the soul of democracy and sine qua non for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

Directive to Officials

He impressed upon the Provincial Election Commissioners, registration Officers and Assistant Registration Officers to play their effective role for achieving this objective.

The Assistant Election Commissioners throughout Pakistan were also directed to ensure that no enrolment is made without verification of the particulars of an intending voter, after holding summary enquiry so as to obviate the possibility of unauthorized enrolments.

The Provincial Election Commissioners were directed to hold regular meetings with the Deputy Election Commissioners and Assistant Election Commissioners with a view to ensure that his directions are implemented in letter and spirit.

National Identity Cards

To facilitate the enrolment of voters, who are not in possession of National Identity Cards, the Registration Officers were directed to accept attested photo copy of international passport of a claimant for the purpose of enrolment subject to fulfilment of other legal requirements.

Chief Election Commissioner also directed the Assistant Election Commissioners/registration Officers to undertake local publicity for enrolment of voters by using all available resources.

Call to People, Politicians, NGOs

He also appealed to the civil society organizations, NGOs and leaders of the political parties to play their effective role in motivating and mobilizing people for enrolment of their names as voters in the Electoral Rolls.

The Chief Election Commissioner, once again, reminded the nation that December 31, 2004 is the last date for filing claims for enrolment, deletions, objections and applications for corrections in the Electoral Rolls.●