Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Election Commissioner (r) Justice Abdul Rashid Sulehria on Friday assured everyone that returning officers would not go missing during July 25 polls for the region’s legislative assembly.
The AJK CEC, in a conversation with Geo News, said that under the new law, the returning officers are required to declare the results at the polling stations and provide certified copies to the polling agents as well.
He added that the ROs would have to send a copy of the results on WhatsApp as well.
Sulehria also said that the army, rangers and FC personnel have been tasked to ensure that the ROs and the ballot boxes return safely.
Separately, addressing a news conference, a member of the AJK Election Commission said that a security plan has been finalized for transparent election and that the Pakistan Army would remain present at polling stations for the maintenance of law and order for the voters so they can cast their votes in a peaceful environment.
He requested media to ensure strict vigilance of a voting process to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
He said that some 1.7 million male and 1.4 million female voters would use their right to vote in 12 constituencies of Kashmiri settlers.
Some 829 polling stations were declared as sensitive and 1,200 polling stations as the most sensitive. The Election Commission of Pakistan is assisting in 12 constituencies of kashmiri refugees.
In 2018, under the 13th amendment, the seats of the refugees were given constitutional protection according to which the refugees who were settled in different cities of Pakistan were allowed to cast their votes in the area of their residence.
Moreover, the Election Commission of AJK issued directives to Commissioners of all three divisions, including Muzaffarabad, Poonch and Mirpur, to make comprehensive arrangements for delivering the polling bags and other related materials at respective polling stations.
The concerned presiding officers deployed on the polling stations were directed to adopt special security measures for the elections of the AJK Legislative Assembly which is being held on July 25, 2021 on Sunday.
As per the notification, the divisional commissioners have been directed to make a strict monitoring system and carry on the PO and polling staff along with polling bags and concerned material and deliver at the polling station with strict security measures and do the same after the election process was over and after starting the compile of results.
The notification continued and directed that to ensure the deployment of security staff at every polling station as mentioned in the chart and directed that security staff deployed at the office of the DROs.
ROs would be responsible for their security and would remain red alert till the final official results would be announced and the concerned security staff can only change their position with the permission of the concerned RO after the announcement of the final official results.
According to the notification, the presiding officer, polling staff and polling agents of the candidates only can be allowed to enter the polling station and the PO for his facility can only deploy security staff inside the polling station conditionally.
Moreover, the concerned security personnel do not affect the secrecy of the voter. Besides this, the security staff outside the polling station would have the responsibility to check the National Identity Card of the voter before allowing him to cast his/her vote.
The political parties have been directed to set up the polling camps away from the polling stations by following the SOPs besides. On the polling day, no political party worker can be allowed to induce the voter in his favour with the diameter of 400 meters of the polling station.
with additional input from APP
