ECP announces action against mutiple vote casters

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday decided to take action against those individuals found guilty of casting more than one vote in the May 2013 elections and also approved the registration of 11 new political parties, DawnNews reported. The election commission decided to take action against those individuals whop had caste more than one vote in last years general elections and in this regard sought data of the constituencies whose record had been verified by National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra). Additional Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Syed Sher Afgansaid that those found guilty of casting more than one vote would be dealt under criminal laws and would be punishable upto three years. The commission also approved the registrations of 11 new political parties taking the tally of registered parties to 281. The ECP also rejected a petition, filed by an independent candidate from Multan's NA 151 constituency, seeking to cancel the registration of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). The petitioner had claimed that the JI had collected funds for charity which were later used in the election campaign of the party. The election commission rejected the petition citing a lack of credible evidence to prove the claims.