ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan on Tuesday said the returning officers of every constituency would announce the election results “locally” and every presiding officer would provide carbon copy of the results of the polling station to the polling agents of the candidates.

Responding to the apprehensions expressed by Benazir Bhutto about the possibility of rigging at the time of results announcement, the CEC said the votes would be counted at the polling stations immediately after the polling was over. The ballot boxes would be opened and counting started in the presence of the polling agents of the candidates.

The CEC said though it was too early to finalize the scheme for receipt and communication of results but to avoid any misunderstandings, it was being announced that the EC intended to finalize such a procedure so that the election results were as fair and transparent as possible.

It stated that the statement of count in Form-XIV would be prepared by the presiding officers in the presence of the polling agents and the signatures of the polling agents would also be obtained thereon.

The carbon copies would be supplied to each polling agent. The system of supplying carbon copies was being introduced for the first time to ensure there was no chance of tampering with the “statement of counts” by making handwritten copies thereof.

The CEC said a copy of the statement of count would be pasted outside the polling station for the information of the general public.

On the basis of statement of counts in respect of all polling stations in a constituency, total votes polled and the votes polled by each contesting candidates would be summed up by the returning officer concerned for each national and provincial assembly constituency.

The preliminary result for the constituency would be announced by the returning officer concerned locally on the spot and a copy would be pasted at the notice-board. The result would also be transmitted to the EC through telephone and telefax.

Later on, the result would be finally consolidated and the result of the count would be communicated to the Election Commission in accordance with the provisions of law.

The CEC also denied that vote count contract had been awarded to Nestol, managed by a cabinet minister.

The CEC described the report as being based on erroneous assumption. “No such contract has been awarded to Nestol or any other firm. Nor any such matter is under consideration by the Election Commission,” the CEC said.