As the electoral clock ticks down, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday catapulted preparations into their final phase, revealing the polling scheme for constituencies for the Feb 8 polls.

Putting final touches to the much-anticipated polls, the electoral body said that over 1.07 million polling staff members were primed and ready to fulfil their duties on the election day.

Among them, 96,812 presiding officers are set to oversee proceedings at 91,809 polling stations.

In the heartland of Punjab, 526,123 polling staff members are set to manage operations at 51,821 polling stations, while Sindh will see 264,100 polling officers in action at 19,236 polling stations.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 166,000 polling officers will oversee 15,737 polling stations, while 50,491 officers will preside over 5,015 polling stations in Balochistan.

The federal capital will have a dedicated force of 8,704 polling officers assigned to handle 990 polling stations.

Ballot printing hits overdrive

Meanwhile, the printing of specialised ballot papers also gained momentum.

In a proactive move, the ECP has intensified the printing of ballot papers to facilitate a seamless voting experience.

Racing against a Jan 31 deadline, the commission aims to complete the printing of 25.77 million ballot papers, utilising a substantial 21 tons of specialised paper procured from international sources.

To uphold the highest standards of quality, the ballot papers are being produced on specific imported paper, surpassing the eight tons used in the previous election.

With an increased number of candidates in some constituencies, longer ballot papers are now in use, accommodating up to 40 hopefuls in certain regions.

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However, with the onset of cold and foggy weather, potential obstacles to the swift and secure distribution of printed ballot papers have arisen.

To overcome the hurdle, the ECP plans to employ air transport for the delivery of ballot papers, ensuring a timely and efficient distribution across the nation.

Following the Jan 31 deadline, the commission will kickstart the rapid dispatch of ballot papers, with remote regions set to receive their ballots via aerial transport.

DROs get magisterial authority

In a related development, the ECP delegated the powers of a first-class magistrate to district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) to ensure the seamless execution of the general elections in 2024.

According to the ECP notification released on Friday, magisterial powers were conferred upon DROs and ROs in accordance with Section 193 of the Elections Act, 2017.

These powers can be utilised by ROs and DROs during the general elections for national and provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, K-P and Balochistan until the official announcement of final results for the candidates.

The ROs and DROs have the authority to initiate action against candidates who breach the code of conduct prescribed by the ECP.

The aforesaid officers will exercise the powers of the magistrate first class in respect of the offences defined in sections 169 and 171 and take cognisance of any such offence under Section 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and shall try it summarily under Chapter XX of the code.