ISLAMABAD, July 4: The Election Commission (EC) said on Monday 1.5 million new voters were enrolled during the revision of the electoral rolls, which took place from August 2004 to March 2005. EC Secretary Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad in a statement said with the addition of 1,511,599 new voters, the electoral roll now contained names of 63.68 million voters who would elect their representatives to union councils in four provinces during the local body elections 2,005.

Apparently, he was reacting to allegations made by Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, who in a statement had claimed discrepancy between the electoral lists and National Data Registration Authority data by 7.6 million people. The secretary further explained that the local elections 2000-01 had been based on separate electoral lists.

“The same electoral rolls have now been updated through a process which took place from August 9, 2004 to March 15, 2005,” he said.

Meanwhile in another development, acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has barred candidates participating in July 9 by-election on PB-12 Killa Abdullah-II (Balochistan) from convening, holding or attending any public meeting or promoting or joining any procession in the area of the constituency during 48 hours, ending at midnight following conclusion of the voting.