ECP extends polling time by one hour

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) extended on Friday polling timings by one hour for the general elections scheduled to be held on July 25.

The new timings, as per the ECP, will be from 8 in the morning till 6 in the evening. The polling will be held for 10 hours without any interval. The timings have been extended for the facility of the voters and to ensure that maximum voters participate, local media reported.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had requested the ECP on Wednesday to extend polling timings as it would be a dilemma for the voters to go out in the hot weather to cast their vote.

This is the first time in Pakistan's electoral history that the polling timings have been changed.  For the previous elections in 2013, the polling time for the voters was from 8am till 5pm.

Meanwhile, today is the last day for candidates who wish to withdraw their nomination papers. The ECP will be issuing the final candidate list later today. On the other hand, electoral symbols will be issued to parties on June 30 (tomorrow).