ISLAMABAD: With only 16 days left in the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to conduct a mock test of its system to transmit and tabulate results.
The ECP has written to all four provincial election commissioners and issued SOPs and guidelines regarding the mock exercise for the Election Management System (EMS) on January 26.
The letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, stated that returning officers (RO) must certify and finalise Forms 28 and 33 in the EMS and map the presiding officers to polling stations till Jan 25.
The said forms carry details of candidates and the number of polling stations in each constituency.
The letter added that dummy Form-45 will be provided to all ROs on Jan 25, and they will ask the presiding officers to send results of 1-2 pages of each NA and PA constituency from their mobile app on Jan 26 at 5pm.
Orders local bodies not to announce development schemes until polls
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) initiates a mock exercise for the upcoming general elections. Presiding officers can take snapshots, simulating Form-45, with EMS operators starting data entry on Jan 26. Upon completion, Returning Officers (ROs) will generate Form-47, the final result. ROs must ensure presiding officers clear cache data per ECP guidelines after the mock exercise. Provincial election commissioners are tasked with circulating Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for the mock exercise. Clearing cache guidelines for the EMS Mobile App post-mock trial are provided.
In a separate move, the ECP freezes all local government development funds until the general election results are announced. The directive aims to prevent actions influencing results, ensuring a level playing field for all parties and candidates. Local governments are instructed to focus on essential day-to-day duties and refrain from announcing or executing new development schemes. Tender issuance for projects is prohibited until the conclusion of the general elections and without prior ECP approval.