Presence of security forces inside polling stations will ‘cast shadow’ on transparent elections, says Rabbani

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said on Wednesday that any presence of security forces within the precincts of polling stations would “cast a shadow on free, fair and transparent elections.

In a statement, former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani emphasized that security forces should be under the control of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) during elections. He insisted that while deploying security forces is essential for maintaining peace on election day, they should not be within the polling stations. Rabbani urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to strictly adhere to these principles and the law to avoid controversial elections. This statement follows the caretaker federal cabinet’s approval of deploying troops and civil armed forces personnel at polling stations and sensitive constituencies during the upcoming general elections on February 8. The ECP had requested the deployment, citing a significant shortage of security officials needed for election duty. The ECP highlighted a shortfall of personnel in various provinces, prompting the need for army deployment.