ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Saturday the successful completion of a mock exercise for the Election Management System (EMS) on an experimental basis.
According to an ECP spokesman, presiding officers generally delivered results satisfactorily during the trial. However, minor connectivity challenges were reported at certain points, causing issues in transmitting results to some presiding officers. The spokesperson assured that these challenges are being promptly addressed.
The comprehensive trial involved the participation of Returning Officers’ offices at 859 locations nationwide, testing Fiber/DSL connectivity, EMS app log-in, usage, and the steps for results transmission and editing.
The EMS aims to compile and tabulate results at the Returning Officer (RO) level, and throughout the exercise, all ROs successfully completed the compilation and tabulation of results without encountering issues.
In cases where presiding officers face difficulties in transmitting results via mobile phone, they are instructed to personally deliver the election results to the RO’s office. The ECP’s emphasis on a flawless electoral process is evident in its efforts to address connectivity challenges and ensure the effective functioning of the EMS.
In a related development, the ECP recently delegated magisterial powers to District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) under Section 193 of the Election Act 2017.
These powers empower ROs and DROs to take action against candidates who violate the code of conduct specified by the ECP during the general elections in 2024 for national and provincial assemblies in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan until the official announcement of final results for the candidates.
This move is aimed at ensuring the seamless execution of the upcoming general elections and upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
