Polling agent must be voters of same constituency: ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has made it mandatory for the polling agents to be voters of the same constituency in the coming elections, reported 24NewsHDTV channel.  

According to the recent amendment in election rules made by the ECP ahead of the general elections, a political party can now nominate a polling agent for any booth within the constituency he/she is a voter from.

The ECP had announced that polling agents for the next general elections shall be the voters of the respective constituencies. It said no candidate shall appoint any polling agent from outside the constituency.

The case related to the polling agents in the by-elections in 20 constituencies of Punjab came before the Election Commission.

The ECP had rejected the PTI's request against the position of the returning officers regarding polling agents being from the respective constituencies.

It is believed that the ECP took the decision to avoid any violence on polling day. There would be a likelihood of violence if voters from outside the constituencies were allowed to join the election activity as polling agents.