RAWALPINDI, Feb 28: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is planning to hire bank employees for the upcoming general elections, as approximately 700,000 polling personnel will be required for the polling process, said an official of the election commission.

The official said that the suggestion to include bank employees came about at a top level meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss the administrative management and security issues for the upcoming general elections 2013.

The meeting was chaired by chief election commissioner Justice (retired) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim.

The official said that after the tentative list of polling personnel was finalised, a comprehensive training would be imparted.

It was also decided in the meeting that the district election commissioner (DEC) in each district would obtain the list of officers and officials of federal and provincial departments for their training.

The lists would be forwarded to the concerned returning officers who would later appoint them as polling personnel, said the official.

The official said that it was decided in the meeting to impose a ban on the postings and transfers of trained polling personnel, until the election process was completed.

Meanwhile, in another move, the Punjab provincial government has asked the divisional police chiefs across the province to send a tentative contingency plan, including details of its personnel and other requirements, for the upcoming general elections.

When the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi division Mohammad Zuabir was contacted, he said that tentative details of the contingency plan had been sent to the authorities concerned, however, the final security plan would be made after the polling schedule is announced by the government.

He said that in light of past practice, a tentative contingency plan was prepared and sent to the authorities concerned.

However, he said the security plan would be finalised after the election schedule was announced.

“It will be a big challenge for the police and administration to conduct elections in a peaceful atmosphere in the prevailing security situation,” the RPO said, adding that the police would do its best to ensure security.

According to an official, the copies of the contingency plan — finalised after the polling schedule is announced — would be provided to the provincial election commissioner, district returning officer and representatives of returning officers.

The in-charge police officer at the polling station would be bound to obey the orders of the presiding officer. In turn, the presiding officer would be responsible for providing a peaceful atmosphere at each polling station, said the official.