ISLAMABAD – A delay has been reported in the transmission of electionresults due to the breaking down of the ECP’s Results Transmission System(RTS), which is being run through a software powered by National Databaseand Registration Authority (Nadra).
The ECP spokesperson said that the system has been overwhelmed due to alarge number of polling officers using at the same time to log Form 45.
According to *AFP*, Gallup Pakistan estimated voter turnout at between 50to 55 per cent in an electorate of nearly 106 million — similar to theprevious contest in 2013.
According to data released by ECP, a total of 3,459 candidates — 1,623 fromPunjab, 824 from Sindh, 725 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 287 fromBalochistan — were cleared to run for the 272 general seats of the nationalassembly. However, elections in two constituencies — NA-60, NA-108 — werelater postponed by the commission.[image: A woman walks out of a polling station holding flag after castingher ballot in Rawalpindi. —AFP]
A single party will need to bag at least 137 of the directly elected seatsto be able to form the government on its own.
In the event that a party is unable to secure a “simple majority”, there isa hung parliament. This is when no single party can make government,leaving room for the formation of a coalition government of winningcandidates from various political parties.