ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has finally agreed to involve the private sector in printing ballot papers for the local government elections in Punjab and Sindh.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the commission presided over by Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan.

An ECP official said the printing of 420 million ballot papers for the polls in Punjab and Sindh was an uphill task and the government facilities engaged in the process had a capacity to print only 110 million papers in 22 days.

Also read: LHC orders LG elections on party-basis in Punjab Cantonment Board

He said a representative of the Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) informed the meeting that it had made arrangements with the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) and the Tranzum Companies and Services (TCS) to increase the capacity to 330m.

The official, however, said even then something would have to be done to get the rest of 90m ballot papers printed by involving other private companies. He said the commission had formed a five-member committee headed by the ECP secretary to find a solution and submit a report within five working days.

Another option discussed was that the PCP should purchase around 40 new machines but placing of orders and their supply and installation might go beyond the deadline. The commission also decided to explore the option of setting up its own printing press as a permanent solution.

Cantonment polls

Meanwhile, the ECP has written a letter to the Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments, seeking amendment to the Cantonment Ordinance 2002 and the Cantonments Local Government Election Rules 2015. It was pointed out that six symbols provided in Schedule-1 of the election rules had already been allocated by the ECP to various political parties.

It sought an amendment to the schedule to specify symbols for independent candidates. It also asked for a new section to provide for allocating party symbols to candidates. The ECP also sought the power to include or exclude any election symbol from the list.

The ECP has also written letters to the heads of all political parties, informing them that the candidates belonging to their parties taking part in the local government polls in cantonments were required to provide a certificate, signed by either the party head or his authorised nominee, to the returning officer concerned by April 8.

It said that the tickets issued by the party head or authorised office-bearer might not be recalled or cancelled and only one ticket should be issued against a seat.

All returning officers have been informed through the provincial election commissioners that the symbols allotted to parties should in no case be allotted to independent candidates.

A list of election symbols allocated by the ECP to 164 parties during the 2013 general elections has been sent to the ROs along with the letter.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2015

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