The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) clarified on Monday as to what would count as a valid or an invalid vote when the country goes to polls on July 25.
As per the electoral body, a ballot paper will be invalid if:
– It’s missing the official code mark or assistant presiding officer’s signature
– It’s missing ECP’s watermark
– It’s missing the official nine-matrix seal
– It has a paper or anything else attached to it
– It has stamps on more than one candidate’s election symbols
– The stamp appears equally in more than one candidates’ boxes
However, ECP explained a ballot paper will be counted as a valid vote if the stamp appears in multiple boxes but a prominent portion of it is in a particular candidate’s box.
Multiple stamps on the symbol of a particular candidate, as well as stamps on both the symbol and the name of a candidate will also be counted as a valid vote, the ECP further clarified.
Polling will start at 8am and conclude at 6pm — a total of 10 hours uninterrupted.
This is the first time the polling duration has been extended by an hour across the board in the country’s electoral history.
