ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would issue final electoral rolls on Aug 4 for holding the general election scheduled to be held in October.

The director-general of the ECP, Rehmat Ali Mujahid, said the ECP staff had started house-to-house enumeration in all the provinces.

He said the government had sanctioned Rs500 million for the preparing the electoral rolls. The 30-day task being carried out by 100,000 enumerators country-wide would be closely monitored by the ECP to ensure accurate and error-free electoral rolls for holding fair and impartial election.

Mr Mujahid added that field officers had been asked to submit the first report on Jan 15, the second on Jan 25 and the third and last on Jan 31 so that any bottle-necks, if pointed out, could be removed.

The election to the national and provincial assemblies are to be held on the basis of separate electorate. The voting age for the general election would be 21 years, while the approximate number of voters comes to over 60 million out of a population of 140 million.

The fresh electoral rolls will be computerized by Nadra, with entry of national identity card numbers in the lists.

Mr Mujahid said orientation training had already been imparted to assistant election commissioners, who, he added, were authorized registration officers in the districts.

The chief election commissioner has conferred powers of the magistrate first class upon the assistant registration officers (AROs) appointed for the preparation of the electoral rolls from Jan 1.

Every enumerator has been assigned an area having approximately a population of 2,500 to 3,000 and each supervisor will be required to check the work of two to three enumerators. The electoral rolls are to be prepared area-wise.—APP