'ECP ready to hold elections by end of October this year'

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday has said it is ready for the new elections by the end of October this year, ARY News reported.

Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Omar Hameed Khan while holding a press conference in Islamabad has made it clear that the body will be ready to hold new elections at the end of October but the decision in this regard has to be taken by the incumbent government.

ECP secretary said that the final list of voters was posted on October 4, 2020. The door-to-door verification process was completed between November 7 to December 31, 2021, the SMS service was made free from November 26 to December 31, 2021.

He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan is an independent and autonomous body and it is its responsibility to conduct transparent and fair elections.

The chief election commissioner had written to the then PM in 2020 to notify the census so that they can initiate new delimitation, but despite writing 17 letters, no reply was given and in May 2021, it was informed that the new census would be held.

The secretary ECP said that they are carrying out its work as per the orders of the Supreme Court. A large number of display centres have been set up.

Responding to the EVMs issue, the secretary of ECP said, there are several protocols which needed to be followed for the EVMs and their work on EVMs and overseas voting will continue.