ISLAMABAD – Each designated officer in-charge of armed forces deployed forsecurity at polling stations shall exercise power of magistrate FirstClass. The Election Commission of Pakistan today issued a notification tothis effect.

It said deployment of armed forces shall be made for provision of secureenvironment in conduct of election in free, fair, and transparent manner.

It said military troops will be deployed inside and outside all the pollingstations from 23rd to 27th of this month.

It said armed forces have been given responsibility to made foolproofsecurity arrangements during the printing, stacking and storage of ballotpapers.

It said the armed forces shall provide security during transportation ofballot papers and other materials from printing presses to respectivepolling stations and back to district treasuries or ECP’s strong rooms.

The notification said the armed forces shall also deploy sufficient numberof mobile vigilance teams, Quick Reaction Force and reserves in allconstituencies to provide secure environment.

The notification reads that the security staff deployed on a pollingstation is supposed to first report to the presiding officer, then officerin-charge, and returning officers concerned respectively if he finds anyirregularity or malpractice during the election process.