PML-N urges ECP to extend polling time by an hour

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has written to the ECP to extend polling time by an hour due to slow polling process at “almost all constituencies of Pakistan”.

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Muhammad Raza to extend polling time by an hour. Party leader Mushahidullah Khan wrote the letter, stating that there long queues of people outside polling stations while the election staff is working slowly.

He said the ECP was empowered under the Election Act 2017 to advance the polling time as no voter can be deprived of his/her right to franchise.

The ECP had already extended the polling by one hour from 5pm to 6pm for the time in election history.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has registered 105 million voters countrywide including 59,224,262 males and 46,731,145 females for the elections. Voters turnout will be crucial in the polling, as unlike in the past, turnout has been quite low in the past polls with highest 64 per cent last recorded in the 1970 elections.