EC drafts polling centres list for nat’l election

Staff Reporter :

The Election Commission (EC) has released a draft list of 42,618 polling centres for the upcoming national election, increasing the number by 468 compared to the previous polls.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters at the commission’s headquarters yesterday that the draft was prepared on the basis of one polling station per 300 voters. The draft list also includes 2,44,046 polling booths under the 42,618 centres.

According to the breakdown, 1,14,939 booths will be set aside for male voters, with one booth allocated for every 600 men, while 1,29,107 booths will be designated for female voters, with one booth for every 500 women. Compared to the last election, the total number of booths has been reduced by about 17,426.

The commission will now accept objections, claims, and complaints regarding the draft list until September 25. These will be reviewed and resolved by October 12, after which the final list will be published on October 20.

Senior Secretary Ahmed emphasised that the expanded number of polling centres aims to improve voter accessibility, while the adjustment in booth numbers is intended to balance voter flow and enhance efficiency.