NADRA shares voters data for BVM use in NA-120 bye-poll

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formally received the picture and thumb impression data of voters of constituency NA-120, Lahore-III from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

According to an official of ECP, the data was essential for use of Biometric Voting Machines (BVM) in bye-election in the said constituency on trial basis.

He said the commission had formally written a letter to the Chairman NADRA asking him to provide the required data of voters list, thumb impression and pictures by August 17, for use of BVM in bye-election.

He said after receiving data, the ECP had immediately started training of its staff for use of these machines in the bye-election of the following constituencies on trial basis.

He said there would be no effect of using of BVM and EVM machines on traditional polling process or on election results.

He said it was also decided to use all available 100 BVM and 150 EVM machines in order to observe the performance of these machines on technical grounds.

He said media persons would be briefed on functioning of these  machines while there would be practical exhibition of these machines in front of media.

He said the ECP would take steps to educate voters and candidates of the constituencies concerned. This step would help the ECP to get support of voters and candidates in achieving better results from the use of these machines.

It is pertinent to mention here that the commission had asked the NADRA to immediately provide required data for use of BVM on trial basis in bye-election.

The ECP had also dispatched the copies of this letter to the minister for interior, secretary interior and secretary National Assembly while secretary National Assembly had been requested to take this matter with the Parliamentary Reforms Committee.