ECP KICKS-UP ARRANGEMENTS FOR PREPARATION OF FRESH COMPUTERIZED ELECTORAL ROLLS-2011
Islamabad, the 15th February, 2011.- Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Justice ® Hamid Ali Mirza presided here today a high-level meeting attended by the Secretary Statistics Division, Mr. Aisf Bajwa, Chairman NADRA, Mr. Ali Arshad Hakeem, Deputy Chairman NADRA, Mr. Tariq Malik for preparation of accurate computerized Electoral Rolls-2011 with the help of NADRA and Statistics Division. Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan Mr. Ishtiak Ahmed Khan and senior officers of the ECP were also present in the meeting.
The Hon’ble CEC asked for coordinated efforts among ECP, NADRA and Statistic Division for archiving this national objective and reiterated that the ECP would prepare Electoral Rolls-2011 in collaboration with NADRA in the wake of Statistic Division’s decision to increase the number of Census Block from 1,02,000 to 1,45,000 till 31st December 2011. For this purpose, the existing Electoral Rolls data will be shared with NADRA for the purpose of verification and augmentation of voters according to new census blocks.
Mr. Asif Bajwa, Secretary Statistic Division informed that data of about 60 Districts are available with Statistics Division in soft form while the remaining data is available in hard form only. He also said that Statistic Division can provide soft copy of all the blocks, as per requirement of NADRA, in June 2011. He, therefore, suggested starting door-to-door enumeration for voters’ registration in June 2011 as at that time soft copy of Census block will be available. Therefore, it was decided to launch actual enumeration in the first week of June 2011 i-e after completion of house listing by the Statistics Division and availability of census block s in soft form.
Chairman NADRA, Mr. Ali Arshad Hakeem said that as briefed by the Statistic Division, it is technically not possible to start door-to-door enumeration in May 2011; even then the whole task will be completed during the specified period i-e 31st December 2011.
The Secretary, ECP Mr. Ishtaik Ahmed Khan told that Bill regarding declaring CNIC as mandatory for registration of vote has been recommended by the Senate Standing Committee which will hopefully be passed within the current month. He also directed for constitution of a Committee of technical teams of all the three organizations to re-adjust the dates for preparation of Electoral Rolls accordingly.
The Chairman NADRA and Secretary, Statistics Division assured all out support, full coordination and cooperation with the ECP at all levels including Provincial as well as at District level for achieving the national cause of preparation of error-free accurate Electoral Rolls.