ISLAMABAD, April 29: The Chief Election Commissioner has announced that all arrangements for a fair and transparent referendum have been completed.

Flanked by the members of Election Commission, CEC Irshad Hasan Khan told a press conference on Monday said that the stage was set for holding of what he called a fair and transparent referendum on Tuesday.

Justice Irshad Hasan Khan said the referendum was being conducted under the supervision of judiciary and there was no possibility of fake voting.

He said the commission had decided that the results of referendum showing the total number of votes cast in affirmative as well as negative in response to the question being put to the nation would be published in the official gazette.

He said it was also decided that the results of referendum would be announced on TV and radio every half an hour.

Asked what was the number of voters in the country and how many ballot papers had been printed, the CEC said the number of voters was slightly over 60 million.

He did not give the number of ballot papers, saying it was more than the number of voters.

The CEC said that after the removal of the identity card’s restriction it had been decided that the certificate issued by an institution must have the photograph of the certificate holder.

Asked whether the voting right to overseas Pakistanis would be available in the coming election as well, the CEC said the question was premature.

The CEC said that the total expenditure being incurred on the referendum was around Rs500 million.

He said that a central control room would be set up in Islamabad which would start functioning at 8am and continue working till the results were completed.