Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday said that the law enforcement agencies have decided to suspend Internet service.
“We will not direct for restoration of telephone and Internet service,” talking to media CEC said. ” Who will be responsible if we order opening of the cellular service and a terrorism incident takes place,” he said.
CEC Raja said,” Our system doesn’t depend on internet, there will be no difference. The election will be transparent”.
The election commission could give its recommendations, he said.
Earlier in the day, the interior ministry said the decision to block mobile network services was taken in view of the security situation.
ECP member Nisar Durrani said that the mobile phone service shutdown would not have an impact on the election. The election monitoring centre has been functional, he added.
Sikandar Sultan said that the returning officers have to give results as late as by 2:00am according to the election law. “The results could also come before 2:00am,” CEC said. “The results could come on 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 in midnight,” he added.
According to previous experience, presiding officers provide results by 11:00pm, he said. “Delay in results was caused due to data entry, but the issue has been resolved now,” CEC said.
“We dont want to create threat to lives, we have to protect the ballot,” CEC Raja said.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that electoral process was “100 per cent transparent and peaceful.”
The CEC stated that the polling process continued without any interruptions. “No citizen was prevented from casting his vote,” he added.
“Where connectivity is an issue, the concerned Presiding Officer will personally go to the office of the concerned Returning Officer and issue Form 45,” Raja stated.
He said once uploaded in EMS, Form 45 will automatically be received wherever services are restored.
Addressing complaints about voting process delays in some polling stations, the election commissioner said time can be extended till 2 PM on the day if it is asked to be extended.
He said that in some areas of Balochistan there are night travel apprehensions. “It is likely that the results might be completed with presiding officer but being delayed in transfer”, he added.
The cellular and internet services were suspended in several parts of the country, including major cities like Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar and others amid polling.
