ECP completes printing of 220 million ballot papers in 16 days

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) achieved its target of printing 220 million ballot papers in 16 days which started on July 1, sources privy to the development shared.

According to ECP officials, the process of distribution of ballot papers has been initiated in several districts under the supervision of armed forces.

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Three printing presses were employed to print ballot papers. The papers used for printing were exported from Britain and France, and an expensive watermark was used on the papers.

The total outlay of printing process cost more than two billion.

On the polling day – July 25 – a total number of 11,855 candidates will be running for the 849 general seats of National Assembly and four provincial assemblies.

This includes a total of 3,459 candidates — 1,623 from Punjab, 824 from Sindh, 725 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 287 from Balochistan. They will contest for the 272 general seats of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly – the lower house of the parliament in the Pakistan’s democratic system consists of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected, 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 are open to religious minorities. A political party needs at least 172 seats for simple majority to form a government at the national level and to bring its prime minister.

The ECP says a total of 8,396 are running for 577 general seats of the four provincial assemblies.