RAWALPINDI:664,873 registered voters of five cantonment boards of Rawalpindi district will exercise their right of franchise to elect local government representatives out of 284 candidates in the run for election.
District Returning Officer, Rawalpindi II, Shaheen Ghazal informed that arrangements have been finalized in Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Wah, Taxila and Murree cantonment boards for the cantonment local government election to be held on September 12.
Total number of registered voters in five cantonment boards of Rawalpindi district is 664,873 including 343,894 male and 320,979 female.
The total number of registered voters in Rawalpindi Cantt is 279,529, in Chaklala Cantt 170,100, in Wah Cantt 196,250, in Taxila Cantt 15,976 while 3,018 voters are registered in Murree.
To a question she told that 583 polling stations including 285 for male and 276 for female and 22 joint polling stations would be set up to facilitate the voters to exercise their right of franchise on September 12.
She said that total 1604 polling booths including 822 for male and 782 for female voters would be set up for the election.
To another question she informed that foolproof security arrangements are being finalized to ensure peaceful, transparent and impartial local government elections.
Total 284 candidates including 33 of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, 19 of Pakistan Peoples Party and 36 of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz are contesting elections in five cantonment boards.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali has also directed the authorities concerned to complete all the arrangements for cantonment board elections.
He directed the district administration officers to finalize all the arrangements including security.
He said that the district administration had offered unconditional support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for upcoming local government elections.
Besides all the arrangements, additional security of the polling station would also be ensured. Regional Transport Authority, Rawalpindi had also arranged vehicles to facilitate the election staff, he added.
He directed the authorities to determine the responsibilities of all the departments concerned and a follow up meeting should also be organized to get updates about all the arrangements from all the departments.
The DC said that transparent conduct of local bodies elections is essential for the security and development of the country. Therefore, it is more a social responsibility than a professional one to implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) effectively.
All-out efforts should be made to ensure that the continuity of democracy is strengthened as a result of these elections, he said and directed Assistant Commissioners and Municipal Officers to take all possible steps to ensure that the Code of Conduct issued by ECP for transparent and impartial elections is implemented in letter and spirit.
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