ELECTION COMMISSION WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF UNDP HAS UNDERTAKEN A PROGRAMME TO TRAIN MORE THAN 500000 POLLING STAFF
---SECRETARY ELECTION COMMISSION
Islamabad the 25th November, 2007. Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan has said that Election Commission will take every conceivable step to ensure that forthcoming elections are held in a fair and transparent manner. He was addressing Certificates Awarding Ceremony of first “Training of Master Trainers (TOT) Workshop” for the training of Returning and Assistant Returning Officers which concluded in Islamabad. He said that it is for the first time that Election Commission in collaboration with UNDP is implementing a training plan on such a large scale to train 75000 Presiding Officers and about 500000 Assistant Presiding Officers and polling officers throughout the country. Master Trainers for conducting 3000 Workshops to impart training to Presiding Officers at district and tehsil level have already been trained. Orientation Workshops for District Returning Officers, Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers will also be held soon. These trainings and orientation workshops will go a long way in enhancing capacity building of various functionaries associated with holding of forthcoming elections in the country.
2- Kanwar Dilshad further said that “Guidelines for Polling Agents” have also been prepared which will be provided to the Polling Agents through their respective parties. These booklets will facilitate Polling Agents in monitoring polling process in a more effective and efficient manner to ensure transparency in the elections