PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have decided to stop non-voters at a distance of 400 metres from the polling stations in the upcoming re-polling of local government elections.

The decision was made at a meeting chaired by KP police chief Nasir Khan Durrani and attended by the regional police officers from across the province and district police officers of Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Buner and Karak districts.

According to a statement, the meeting discussed ways to ensure law and order and to avert violence during the re-polling at 365 polling stations across the province. It also reviewed re-polling arrangements and RPOs briefed the meeting about elections in their jurisdictions.

Mr Durrani asked RPOs to hold meetings with candidates and their political leadership in the presence of district returning officers and work out a detailed agreement with them. Under the agreement, candidates would nominate women polling agents and supervisors on women polling stations, while entry of men would be strictly prohibited.

The agreement would also place a bar on taking out processions. The candidates and political parties should form a committee that would be responsible to resolve issues and problems. Durrani said that lady health workers should be imparted necessary training before sending them on election duty.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2015

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