ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: The Election Commission on Saturday refuted reports that the ballot-papers would be carried in un-sealed bags and there was a chance to steal the them during the transportation of election material.

The apprehensions that ballot-papers could be taken out from the bags during transportation were unfounded as the election material would be carried to the polling stations in sealed bags, Election Commission Secretary Hassan Mohammad said at a press conference.

The sealed bags containing election material would be opened before the polling agents of the candidates and parties on the polling day, he said.

He brushed aside the reservations being expressed by different political parties with regard to the vote count.

He said that immediately after polling the sealed ballot-boxes would be shown to the polling agents and observers present and opened in their presence.

The votes would be counted at the polling stations in the presence of polling agents, he said and added that international observers or candidates could also attend the counting.

The statement of vote count would be prepared by the presiding officers in the presence of the polling agents and the signatures of the agents would be obtained thereon at each polling station. Carbon copies of the count would be supplied to the agents at the spot.

He said that a copy of the statement would be pasted outside each polling station to ensure transparency.

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 candidate would be summed up by the returning officer concerned for each constituency, he said.

The returning officer would prepare preliminary result and it would be signed by the candidates or their election agents, he said.

The preliminary result for the constituency would be announced by the returning officer concerned at the spot and a copy of that would be pasted at the noticeboard or any prominent place outside his office. The result would be consolidated on a date fixed by the returning officer in the presence of the candidates or their agents.