ECP grants powers of magistrates to DROs and ROs

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has authorized the district retuning officers and returning officers to exercise powers of First Class Magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1989 until the consolidation and announcement of official results.

The magistrate powers came into effect from July 12, 2018.

The aforesaid officers shall exercise the powers of Magistrate First Class in respect of the
offenses defined in section 169 punishable under Section 174 of Election Act,2017 and may take cognizance of any such offence under Section 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, said the ECP.

It was stated in a circular issued by Establishment Department of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and marked to Senior Member Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretary, FATA, Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development Department, all Administrative Secretaries to Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Principal Secretary to Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The Provincial Police Officer, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and All Divisional Commissioners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In the upcoming elections, around 105.955,409 million eligible voters will exercise their right to elect members of National and provincial assemblies.

As per the available data, around 59.224262 million male and 46.731145 million female voters will cast their votes in the upcoming elections.

The overall ratio of voters in the upcoming election has witnessed about 23 percent, while the number of male voters surged by 21.87 percent.

The ratio of male voters witnessed an increase of 21.87 percent in the upcoming general election as compared to the election-2013.