ISLAMABAD, Aug 22: Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar on Monday allowed voters to show original computerized national identity cards or old identity cards to cast their votes during the second phase of the local government elections commencing from Thursday.

However, he made it clear that no photocopy of identity cards would be acceptable on Aug 25.

Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Dilshad has again reiterated that federal as well as provincial ministers, ministers of state, advisers, chairpersons standing committees, senators and members national or provincial assemblies would not enter polling stations on the day.

The CEC has also authorized senior election officers to exercise powers of a magistrate during the local government elections 2005.

According to a notification, all district returning officers, returning officers, assistant returning officers and presiding officers in Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan will exercise the powers of a first-class magistrate on the polling day.