LAHORE, July 24: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed the establishment of a maximum of three polling booths for each polling station for the forthcoming polls.
The directions to this effect have already been conveyed to the provincial election commissions for the preparation of an initial draft of the polling scheme for the forthcoming elections.
Sources in the Punjab Election Commission told Dawn here on Wednesday that the “number of polling booths per polling station had been brought down to three from four for the 1997 general elections”. The sources, however, cautioned that the number had been fixed for the preparation of the initial draft of the polling scheme only and could be revised, if considered necessary.
The reason for reducing the maximum number of polling booths per polling station was stated to be increase in the number of voters and the proposed number of polling stations.
According to the sources, the tentative figure of polling stations proposed to be set up in 34 districts of the province in the initial polling scheme draft stood at 29,811. It was likely to be forwarded to the ECP shortly, they said. However, the sources said, this polling scheme would be finalized later on following the release of the final voters’ list by NADRA on Aug 5.
The approximate number of polling stations in the initial draft had been calculated by dividing the total number of registered voters in each district by an average 1,200 voters per block (a unit used to measure the number of voters by the election commission).
The sources disclosed that this exercise of preparing an initial draft of the polling scheme was totally internal in nature and was aimed to have an idea about the availability of buildings for polling stations, distribution of ballet papers in each constituency and appointment of polling staff.
The average base of 1,200 voters for calculating polling stations would be amended for villages and the other far-flung areas having low number of voters and could be brought down to 800 or 1,000 as deemed fit. However, as disclosed by the sources, this average base could not be expanded from 1,200 voters under the instructions of the ECP.
In the initial draft of polling scheme for Lahore district, approximately 2,550 polling stations were likely to be proposed for 3,060,939 registered voters of 18 years and above in the metropolis.
There were 13 National Assembly constituencies and 25 provincial assembly constituencies in Lahore.
For the rest 33 districts, the following approximated number of polling stations have been proposed in the initial draft of polling scheme: Rawalpindi (1,456), Attock (587), Jehlum (436), Chakwal (546), Sargodha (1,118), Khushab (392), Mianwali (110), Bhakkar (410), Faisalabad (2,250), Jhang (1,162), Toba Tek Singh (728), Gujranwala (1,332), Hafizabad (324), Gujrat (872), Mandi Bahauddin (510), Sialkot (1,122), Narowal (518), Sheikhupura (1,317), Kasur (956), Okara (951), Multan (1,292), Lodhran (486), Khanewal (887), Sahiwal (788), Pakpattan (554), Vehari (862), Dera Ghazi Khan (595), Rajanpur (418), Muzzaffargarh (920), Layyah (418), Bahawalpur (974), Bahawalnagar (827) and Rahim Yar Khan (1,170).
Approximately 278 polling stations had been proposed for the federal capital in the initial draft of the polling scheme.