WORK STARTS FOR PREPARATION OF COMPUTERIZED ELECTORAL ROLLS-2011

Islamabad, the 3rd February, 2011.-  Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Justice ® Hamid Ali Mirza presided here today a high-level meeting  attended by the Chairman NADRA, Mr. Ali Arshad Hakeem, Deputy Chairman NADRA, Mr. Tariq Malik and his team for ECP-NADRA collaboration for preparation of  accurate computerized Electoral Rolls-2011. Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan Mr. Ishtiak Ahmed Khan, Provincial Election Commissioners, Joint Secretaries of ECP Secretariat and senior officers of the ECP were also present in the meeting.
 
 
The Hon’ble CEC announced that the ECP would prepare Electoral Rolls-2011 in collaboration with NADRA according to the new Census Blocks devised by Census Organization and that ground work for preparation of Electoral Rolls should start immediately. For this purpose, the existing Electoral Rolls data will be shared with NADRA for the purpose of verification and augmentation of voters. NADRA will complete this process in March 2011 and dispatch first draft of the Electoral Rolls to ECP for door to door verification. NADRA accepted the responsibility of its printing and onward transportation to the ECP district offices.
 
 
The Hon’ble CEC also directed for early procurement of description of Census Blocks from Census Organization alongwith copy of enumeration staff engaged by them so that the work relating to preparation of Electoral Rolls shall be started immediately.
 
It was also decided that the actual enumeration will be launched in the first week of May 2011 while the ECP will arrange deployment of armed personnel in the sensitive areas.
 
 
Chairman NADRA, Mr. Ali Arshad Hakeem informed that over 93% population has so far been registered alongwith their photographs and thumb impressions. He was of the view that the ECP should preserve previous data of the Electoral Rolls as the same can be arranged according to new census Blocks.
 
 
The Secretary, ECP Mr. Ishtaik Ahmed Khan told that Bill regarding declaring CNIC as mandatory for registration of vote is being tabled in the Senate which will hopefully be passed within the current month.
 
 
The Chairman NADRA assured all out support, full coordination and cooperation with the ECP at all levels including Provincial as well as at District level between the two organizations for achieving the national cause of preparation of error-free accurate computerized Electoral Rolls.