RAWALPINDI: The vote counting begun in five cantonment boards of Rawalpindi district as polling ended at 5: 00 pm amid tight security arrangements.
Polling for the Local Bodies elections started at 8: 00 am and continued till 5: 00 pm without any break here on Sunday in five cantonment boards of Rawalpindi district while 273 candidates were in the run for the elections in 36 wards of Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Wah, Taxila and Murree Hills Cantt.
CCTV cameras were installed at the sensitive polling stations in the district. Election was postponed for one seat in Ward No 2 of RCB due to death of a candidate.
Talking to reporter, District Returning Officer, Rawalpindi II, Shaheen Ghazal informed that total number of registered voters in five cantonment boards of Rawalpindi district was 664, 873 including 343, 894 male and 320, 979 female.
She said that 82 contesting candidates were in Rawalpindi Cantt, 77 in Chaklala Cantt, 87 in Wah Cantt, 20 in Taxila Cantt and seven in Murree Hills Cantt. The total number of registered voters in Rawalpindi Cantt were 279, 529, in Chaklala Cantt 170, 100, in Wah Cantt 196, 250, in Taxila Cantt 15, 976 while 3, 018 voters were 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 were set up to facilitate the voters to exercise their right of franchise.
As many as 48 sensitive polling stations of the district were given special security cover and besides the deployment of Rawalpindi district police personnel, contingents of rangers were also available to ensure law and order.
ECP had deployed 583 Presiding Officers, 1604 Assistant Presiding Officers and 1604 Polling Officers in the district, she added.
She said that total 1604 polling booths including 822 for male and 782 for female voters were set up for the elections.
To another question she informed that foolproof security arrangements were finalized to ensure peaceful, transparent and impartial local government elections.
The presiding officers will announce the results at the polling station immediately after the counting, while the returning officers will announce the preliminary results immediately after the completion of the results of each ward.
All the polling agents are directed to obtain a copy of the result from the Presiding Officer.
All election agents or candidates should also get a copy of the preliminary result from the concerned Returning Officer.
The authorities concerned had also been directed to ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct issued by ECP for Cantonment Local Bodies elections.
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