ECP monitoring cell receives complaints regarding Senate polls

ISLAMABAD: The monitoring cell of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has received two complaints so far regarding the ongoing Senate elections, citing sources, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Sources told ARY News that the ECP’s monitoring cell received two complaints, both from the Balochistan Assembly, regarding the delay in the commencement of the voting process during Senate elections today.

The ECP authorities have issued instructions to the presiding officer for the redressal of the complaints.

Read: Voting begins for Senate elections on 37 seats

The ECP member in Balochistan Assembly Shah Muhammad Jatoi has been directed to immediately redress the complaints regarding the voting.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had established a telephone helpline and constituted a vigilance committee to stop electoral malpractices in the Senate elections.

The vigilance committee members include officials of ECL, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

Read: PTI’s Hafeez to get over 180 votes in hotly-contested Senate poll: Fawad

A management system had also been established to collect complaints by the election commission besides the establishment of a special monitoring cell which will be made functional for 24 hours for looking over the electoral process by the CEC.

The voting process through secret ballot has begun at 9:00 am today for Senate elections on 37 seats at the Parliament House which will be continued till 5:00 pm.

There are a total of 72 candidates contesting the 2021 Senate polls from the federal capital and the three provinces.