ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Irshad Hassan Khan has recommended to the federal government to adopt the joint electorate system for holding local councils' polls in conformity with the elections to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies held in 2002.

The election body chief stated this while presiding over a meeting regarding the campaign for the revision of electoral rolls, here in the conference room of the Election Commission.

He told the meeting that Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was in favour of this recommendation. All provincial governments had also supported the joint electorate system for the local bodies elections, he said.

Elections to the local bodies will be held like the general elections-2002 if the recommendation is approved. The chief election commissioner has, therefore, requested the federal government that appropriate steps be taken for amending the local government ordinances in this regard.

Speaking about the campaign for the revision of electoral lists, Irshad Hassan Khan called upon the officers of the Election Commission to take appropriate steps for informing the public as to the location of the offices of revising authorities, registration officers and assistant registration officers where the draft electoral rolls have been displayed for inspection by the general public since Jan 1, 2004.

The chief election commissioner emphasised that accurate and error-free, and updated electoral rolls was a basic step towards the goal of conducting free, fair and transparent elections.

"Accomplishment of this highest and an important national task depends upon the support and cooperation of the general public, eligible voters and, in particular, the media," he said.

"The accuracy of the revision of electoral rolls will depend on correct, impartial and judicious decisions by the revising authorities," he said.

The chief election commissioner said the draft electoral rolls had been displayed in the offices of the revising authorities, registration officers and assistant registration officers and at some conspicuous place in each electoral area..-APP