PEMRA sets rules for vote-count coverage
LAHORE, Feb 11: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) will not allow television channels to broadcast positions of candidates during the vote-count. They will be expected to report only after the returning officer at a polling station officially makes it public.
This was announced at a conference on ‘unite for election’ arranged by the information and broadcasting ministry to draw suggestions about making the elections process transparent.
Federal Information Minister Nisar A. Memon, Punjab Election Commissioner Ayaz Mohammad Baig and Additional Home Secretary Mahar Zafar Hayat spoke on the occasion.
“The army has been called in aid of civil administration to keep law and order during the elections. Nine battalions and 35 companies of Pakistan Army have been requisitioned,” Mr Hayat told the participants of the conference. A wing and 49 companies of Rangers would also assist in maintaining security during the elections, he added.
Mr Memon ruled out any possibility of rigging on the polling day. “Unless and until a polling station is notified, neither polling nor counting could take place,” he said while rejecting reports about ghost polling stations.
Mr Memon said that the counting would be done in the presence of polling agents of political parties at every polling station. Results from the polling stations would be dispatched to a returning officer who would, after consolidation, announce the final result.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/12/2008
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