19 September 2004	Sunday	03 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan on Saturday allowed the use of old national identity cards for registration of voters for the local government elections.

According to an order of the CEC, the Local Government Elections, Chief Election Commissioner's Order No.1 of 2004 has been amended as: "A claim for inclusion of name shall be accompanied by an attested photostat copy of the computerized national identity card issued under the National Database and Registration Authority Ordinance, 2000, and in case the CNIC has not been issued to the claimant, attested photostat copy of the national identity card issued under the National Registration Act, 1973, (since repealed) shall be entertained for inclusion of name of the claimant as a voter."

The CEC was informed that during the updating of electoral rolls for the local government elections, a large number of people were found without computerized cards.

Before the amendment, production of a photostat copy of the computerized card was a pre-requisite for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll.

BY-ELECTION LAW: Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Federal Election Academy, the chief election commissioner asked the government to enact a law to make a candidate pay for additional expenses if he contested for more than one seat in by-elections for the national or provincial assemblies.

"There is so much burden on the CEC and the Election Commission in holding elections and by-elections to parliament, the provincial assemblies and the local government institutions," he said.

The amount to be deposited could be Rs1.5 million for the National Assembly or Senate by-elections and Rs1 million for the provincial assemblies to cater for the expenditure on holding those, the CEC proposed.

He said distortion in electoral process it could endanger democracy.

"A great responsibility falls on the shoulders of the registration officers to ensure the preparation of an accurate and error free updated electoral roll," he said.

He said 2005 was the election year for the local government institutions, involving 132,310 seats of 6,022 union, 335 tehsil and town, 96 district and four city district councils.

The local government elections were earlier conducted by the provinces but not the task would be performed by the Election Commission.

The CEC said the arrangement for the election included the registration of voters.

He said the electoral rolls prepared for local government election in 2000-01 had become outdated.

He asked the provincial election commissioners to ensure that no foreigner was registered as a voter. He said Afghan refugees were not entitled to be registered as voters.

He said every citizen who was 18 years or above of age on Jan 1, 2004, should be enrolled as a voter.

A person is entitled to be enrolled as a voter in an electoral area if he resides or owns an immovable property there, he said. He said the training courses at the academy had been designed to enhance the ability of the election personnel.