ECP Strongly Refutes Fake Votes Allegations Circulating on Social Media

Recently, allegations were circulating on social media concerning the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and its alleged involvement in the registration of fake votes in ghost constituencies, including Murree and others, to support one political party. In response, the ECP refuted all such claims in a stringent manner. In a statement, the spokesperson of the ECP warned against making irresponsible statements and warned that the electoral body has the power to take appropriate action against related institutions and individuals.

Furthermore, the spokesperson clarified that, as per Sections 26 and 27 of the Elections Act, voters are registered based on their permanent or temporary address on their respective CNICs. As presence in a particular constituency is not mandatory, it can lead to variations in population and voter registration ratios among constituencies and districts.

Citizens having national identity cards registered in Murree or Jhelum mostly live in different cities or locations, and since they were not present in Murree or Jhelum during the census, they don’t appear in the count. This leads to a decrease in the recorded population of those particular areas. The voter registration in the electoral rolls grows as individuals with their addresses listed as Murree or Jhelum on their national identity cards are qualified to cast their votes in those locations.

In addition, ECP carried out a routine campaign addressing objections regarding vote registration and exclusion. During the process, electoral rolls were updated, and the votes of deceased voters were taken off the list, concluding on October 28, 2023. The same electoral rolls will be used during the upcoming elections.

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