ISLAMABAD: The prospect of delayed elections looms in certain constituencies due to a shortage of ballot paper, as revealed in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Election Commission.
Following a crucial emergency meeting, the Election Commission has decided to address the issue of reprinting ballot papers in specific constituencies facing shortages. The commission acknowledged that the reprinting process would commence once the ballot papers for other constituencies across the country were fully printed. However, this timeline is contingent upon the availability of special security paper and the capacities of printing presses. If the necessary security paper is insufficient, the commission might be compelled to postpone elections in the affected constituencies.
The meeting highlighted the challenge posed by the need to reprint ballot papers in constituencies requiring special security paper, a crucial component in the printing process. The timely availability of this paper has emerged as a significant hurdle. The commission informed that, while 800 tons of special security paper sufficed for the 2018 general elections, the 2024 elections, with a higher number of candidates, necessitate around 2400 tons. To address the severity of the situation, the commission opted to reduce the ballot paper size, minimizing the special security paper requirement to 2170 tonnes, a quantity barely adequate for a single print run.
The spokesperson emphasized that the challenge lies in the increased reprinting of ballot papers in specific constituencies and ensuring the timely availability and printing of the required special security paper.
