ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) surprised many by revealing that the number of nomination papers filed by candidates had increased by over 3,000 on Monday, a day after completion of the scrutiny process.

The ECP on Saturday announced that it had received 24,094 nomination papers from returning officers by April 6, which had been sent back after preliminary verification by the agencies concerned on Sunday, the last day for scrutiny of papers.

But according to the figures regarding papers placed on the ECP’s website and changed within less than an hour, the total number of nomination papers was 27,204.

When contacted, an ECP official claimed that 24,094 was in fact the number of candidates and 27,204 the total nominations filed by them. He said each contestant under the law was allowed to file up to five nomination papers, even from the same constituency.

The argument, however, could not satisfy many as it appears to be almost impossible for hundreds of candidates to file multiple nomination papers. Normally it is done by political heavyweights and the trend in previous elections shows that multiple nominations were never received in hundreds.

MEDIA HOUSES: Meanwhile, ECP Director General (Elections) Sher Afgan has written a letter to 38 media houses requiring them to submit details of election-related advertisements.

The media houses have been asked to submit weekly reports to this effect to the ECP on every Monday.