Pakistan elections 2018: Most parties allege denial of Form 45; what is Form 45?

Islamabad, July 27: Even as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan addressed the nation in a presidential style after an election the results of which were largely inconclusive, the opposition parties cried foul, alleging that the July 25 elections were mostly rigged to oust them from the political scenario. Major parties claimed that their polling agents were denied Form 45 during the polling day.

Now, what is Form 45 which has made the headlines with stunning frequency during Pakistan's controversial election of 2018?

In Pakistan's electoral politics, Form 45, which was previously Form 14, is a statement of the count which shows the number of valid votes each candidate has polled. The form also shows a gender-wise break-up of the data of men and women voters who are scored out from the electoral rolls. Form 45 is also signed by the presiding officer, assistant presiding officer and also an accredited observer. The presiding officer may note on those forms if any person refused to sign.

The details of these data can be shared with polling agents and candidates who are present at the polling booths after the forms are stamped by the presiding officer and the senior-most assistant presiding officer. They should be given to candidates and agents with procurement of a receipt.

The presiding officer takes a screenshot of the form and puts it up on the Results Transmission System which enables the officers to send the results to the election panel in real time. This task of sending the screenshot of the form to the poll panel and the returning officer before the original document is sent is a key condition in Pakistan's electoral politics.

For this purpose, a software is installed in the smartphones of all presiding officers and in case they do not have smartphones, the software is installed in the phones of other staff on election duty.