Pakistan’s election law does not place the entire burden of correction of electoral rolls on voters. Registration Officers have their own proactive duty to identify and fix omissions.
The standard assumption is that if your name is missing from the electoral roll, you must apply to have it added. That is true — and Section 37(a) gives you that right. But there is a parallel legal mechanism that places an independent duty on the Registration Officer.
What does the law say?
Section 32 of the Elections Act 2017 empowers Registration Officers to apply to the Revising Authority for the inclusion of any name that has been inadvertently omitted from the preliminary electoral roll — without waiting for the voter or anyone else to file a complaint. The same provision allows Registration Officers to apply for the inclusion, correction or exclusion of any entry that appears to be erroneous, also on their own initiative. Both applications must be made within the period during which claims and objections are being received under Section 30.
This is a proactive duty, not merely a reactive one. The Registration Officer is not simply a passive processor of applications. The law envisages an officer who reviews the roll, identifies likely omissions or errors, and initiates corrections independently.
Why does this matter?
Section 32 matters most for voters who are unlikely to know their name is missing. In marginalized communities — including women with limited public documentation, persons with disabilities, and residents of areas with low civic awareness — the voter’s own application may be the least reliable mechanism for ensuring accurate enrolment. An active Registration Officer operating under Section 32 provides a safety net.
Community leaders and local civil society organisations can play a role here by alerting Registration Officers to groups of residents likely to have been omitted and ensuring the officer’s Section 32 authority is exercised.
 Source: Elections Act 2017, Sections 30 and 32.
This post is part of FAFEN’s series on electoral literacy. Read more of this series here.
