Provincial Election Commissioners, Secretary Defence and officials of Nadra participated in the meeting and reviewed the progress being made in arranging LB polls in cantonment boards. Acting Chief Election Commissioner regretting the delay in holding local bodies polls in the cantonment boards directed the secretary of the commission to seek more time from the Supreme Court. The apex court had directed the ECP to hold LB in cantonment boards by September 15.
Earlier, the commission released the delimitation of 43 cantonments across the country where it is planning to hold LB elections. The total registered voters in all the 43 cantonments are 1.8 million. The highest numbers of voters in cantonment areas of Punjab are 1.2 million as registered in 1,668 Census Blocks. In Balochistan where there are only 13 Census Blocks have 25,455 registered voters in cantonments. In Khyber Pakhtunkhawa there are 231 Census Blocks and registered voters are 114,447. In Sindh, 491,121 voters are registered with 915 Census Blocks in Cantonments.
Out of total 1,298 polling stations across the country, 490 polling stations for male voters will be set up in cantonments whereas female polling stations will be 480 and combined 328. The commission has decided to depute 15,613 polling staff for holding local government elections in cantonment across the country. The staff will consist of 1,283 Presiding Officers, 6,752 Assistant Presiding Officers, 3,869 Polling Officers and 3,709 Naib Qasids.
The ECP also appointed the appellate authorities under Rules 6(3) of the Cantonment Local Government (Elections) Rules, 2012 for hearing and disposal of objections/suggestions received against the delimitation of wards in the cantonment areas for conduct of local government elections.