ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja said steps have been taken to ensure transparency in elections. Addressing an event here in connection with National Voters Day, he said action has also been taken against those elements who tried to resort to lawlessness and irregularities during electoral process.

 He said as result of these steps, confidence of people on elections, democratic process and Election Commission has increased. He said an effort has also been made to ensure implementation of election code of conduct by taking across the board action against its violators. Sikandar Sultan Raja said Election Commission supports use of technology in electoral process. But technology should be such on which all stakeholders have consensus, people can easily exercise their right to franchise and secrecy of vote could be ensured.

 He said we have not opposed Electronic Voting Machines or voting right of overseas Pakistanis but there should be method for this. He said we cannot make general elections controversial in any haste. Describing Local Body as most important one, Sikandar Sultan Raja said his institution is serious in their conduct. He said process of Local Government elections has been completed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Local Government elections in federal capital will be held on December 31, while second phase of LB elections in Sindh will be held on January 15. He said polling for LB in flood affected areas of Balochistan will be held on Sunday.

 Chief Election Commissioner said we are also ready for LG elections in Punjab and these will be held in last week of April.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 08 2022

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