With just one day remaining until the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued directives to the presiding officers (PO) regarding the handling of Form-45 post-polling.
Form-45, previously known as Form-14, serves as the statement of the count, outlining the number of valid votes for each candidate and the ballots excluded from the count. Additionally, it provides gender-disaggregated data, specifying male and female voters from the electoral rolls in relevant polling booths.
The instructions mandate that presiding officers complete Form-45 accurately, signing it along with their CNIC cards and obtaining signatures from polling agents at the polling stations. In cases where polling agents refuse to sign, a brief reason for the refusal must be noted on the form. Presiding officers are further instructed to affix a copy of the form outside the polling station after obtaining signatures and to provide a copy to the polling agents.
Presiding officers are accountable for any alterations made to the form and are required to share photographs of the completed form with the returning officers (ROs). In instances where internet connectivity is unavailable, presiding officers must personally submit the form to the ROs' office.
In anticipation of the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024, preparations are underway, with an estimated 128 million male and female voters anticipated to exercise their voting rights.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a total of 5,121 candidates are contesting for National Assembly seats, comprising 4,807 males and 312 females, with two transgenders also participating. Additionally, for the provincial assemblies of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan, a total of 12,695 candidates are in the running, including 12,123 males and 570 females.
The country boasts a total of 128,585,760 registered voters, with Punjab having the highest number at 73,207,896, followed by Sindh with 26,994,769, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 21,928,119. Balochistan and Islamabad have 5,371,947 and 1,083,029 registered voters, respectively.
