ECP expects Rs15 billion for elections

ISLAMABAD: For the 2018 elections and related activities, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) expects Rs15 billion cost.

“The cost can go up, keeping in view various factors, which include costs involving training of about 0.9 million polling staff, printing of nearly 220 million ballot papers with water mark for the first time,” a senior ECP official said while talking to The News.

He explained that Rs5-6 billion would be required only for honorarium and other expenditure, like transportation, the polling staff, including district returning officers, returning officers, presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.

The government ministries have to surrender unspent amounts by April but on the proposal of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Finance agreed to the fact that the needful would be done by June 30. It is understood that at this moment, only speculations could be made about the costs to be incurred on the greatest ever national electoral exercise, as well over 106 million persons are expected to be registered voters.

“With objections being received and new voters still registered, it is very difficult to come up with an exact number of registered voters at the moment,” he pointed out. “You just can’t ignore the security factor despite the fact the security and law and order has considerably improved in recent times but obviously, extra security arrangements will have to be in place in many areas. We may need services of the military personnel as well,” the official maintained.

Moreover, for the first time, electoral activity in each National Assembly and provincial assembly constituency will be monitored by the monitoring teams, to be formed by the Election Commission.