ECP to start training at 55,000 Display Centres

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to start the training of the officials of around 55,000 Display Centres from next week for correcting mistakes in the draft electoral rolls being prepared by NADRA nowadays.

An official of ECP told APP here that the training of the officials of Display Centres would be completed within a three to four days. National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is likely to complete the publishing of preliminary electoral rolls by mid January.

After mid January - 55,000 Display Centres, consisting of one official each would be established in 130 districts of the country, he said.

Displayed Centres would be established in mosques, schools, post offices and other prominent places. The preliminary electoral rolls would be displayed in the prominent places of 130 districts for 21 days. The centres have been mandated to enlist the names of the voters, whose names have been missed erroneously or otherwise in the voter lists.

The main aim of the display centres would be to correct mistakes, register objections in the preliminary electoral rolls within 21 days, he said.

Revising Authorities are being appointed to hear the objections. The revising authorities are likely to decide the disputes within a fortnight. Candidates and political parties can obtain voter lists from the display centres by paying money, he said. The final electoral rolls would be published in April 2012 as the ECP would have to follow the rules, he said.

The whole process of establishing display centres and removing anomalies would be completed in minimum 40 days - that too when NADRA hands over the preliminary electoral rolls, he said.

"If NADRA hands over preliminary electoral rolls by January 15 another 40 days are needed to complete the requirements as per law including establishment of display centres and appointment of revising authorities to remove the people's objection in preliminary electoral rolls," he said.

Time is also needed to fulfil other various requirements, so the final electoral rolls would be published by April 2012, he said.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011