BATTAGRAM: The Election Commission of Pakistan has asked the people to get their votes registered on the postal addresses mentioned in their national identity cards by Dec 31.

District election commissioner Zeeshan Khan told reporters here on Thursday that the Election Act, 2017, clearly declared that the people’s votes registered on the addresses other than the one mentioned in CNIC would be automatically cancelled after Dec 31, 2018.

He asked the people to reconcile addresses mentioned in their CNICs and the places where votes were registered.

Mr Zeeshan said the Election Act declared that votes would be registered on temporary or permanent addresses mentioned in the CNIC.

He said under the law, only the government employees could register their votes in the areas where they currently served by producing departmental certificate, while their family member could register themselves as voters on those addresses.

The official said women and elderly men who wanted to transfer their votes but were unable to visit the ECP offices could send their family members, including father, husband, brother or son, with their authority letter for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the residents of Battagram district have resented the transfer of the deputy commissioner ahead of the local government by-elections.

While announcing the LG by-election schedule on Dec 23, 2018, the Election commission of Pakistan had banned the transfer and posting of officers in the districts, where polls were to be held, until the completion of the electoral exercise.

The residents however complained that the restriction stood violated as the Battagram DC had been transferred.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2018