ECP always prints 5pc extra ballots, says ex-secy

ISLAMABAD: The Returning Officers (ROs) send requests for the printing of more ballot papers than the number of total registered votes in their respective constituencies as a matter of routine.
Even if they send requests for printing ballot papers equal to the total number of registered voters, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) always prints at least five percent more ballot papers than the total number of votes in the constituencies, says ex-secretary ECP Kanwar Dilshad.
On Thursday, during proceedings of the Judicial Commission, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada attempted to highlight two objections indirectly by throwing 42 questions to former Punjab election commissioner Anwar Mehboob. These objections included the demand of ROs for extra ballot papers and delay in the delivery of election material to ROs.
Kanwar Dilshad, who served the ECP for 36 years and was ECP secretary during the 2008 general elections, while talking to The News, said that under the ECP rules and regulations, at least five percent more ballot papers than the total number of registered voters in a constituency were always printed because of simple reasons.
The former ECP official said that each polling station could not be given the exact number of ballot papers required by it as a ballot paper book contained 100 ballot papers. In case at a certain polling station, the total registered voters were not in multiples of 100, it would not be given half or one fourth of the ballot book; rather a complete ballot paper book was given. This was the simple reason because of which ROs sent requisition for more ballot papers than the total number of registered voters. He said because of lack of knowledge, ROs might send requisition for ballot papers equal to the number of registered voters and even then the ECP printed extra ballot papers.
The election expert said that creating doubts and confusion on this count were simply ridiculous and were because of wrong understanding of the election process. Kanwar Dilshad said that delay in completion of election material and its dispatch to ROs was never completed in 100 percent cases even in the past. There are always delays caused by the governments. Before the 2013 polls, a controversy was created on account of printing revised nomination papers, which initially delayed the election schedule.