KARACHI: Election Commission of Pakistan Secretary Babar Yaqoob has said that the coming elections would be held on the basis of new delimitation of constituencies, which would be complete by May 3.

He also said that the ECP had started due preparations for holding the next polls in the country including making arrangements for installation of CCTV cameras at all sensitive polling stations.

The ECP secretary, who was addressing a press conference at the offices of provincial election commission on Monday, in reply to a question said that the date for holding general elections could not be made public at the moment. However, the ECP had started the appointment of returning officers whose training would start after May 15. In Sindh, he said 191 ROs would be required whose appointment would be completed by May 7 and all of them would be given due training.

He said that the condition of polling stations in the province was regrettable as according to the district election commissioners most of the proposed polling stations were bereft of basic amenities. However, chief secretary of the Sindh government had been called by the ECP on May 8 to Islamabad.

He said that the lists of polling stations would be provided to the returning officers by May 14.

In reply to another question he dispelled the impression, if any, about suspension of local bodies saying that there was no such move under consideration. However, he said, a ban was imposed on the use of development funds by the local bodies institutions and recruitment was also stopped in view of the political recruitments being made in the government institutions on the eve of elections.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2018