RTS to be used in upcoming by-elections: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that the Results Transmission System (RTS) will also be used in the upcoming by-elections. 

The election commission came under fire after results of the recent general election were unusually delayed on July 25 owing to the alleged failure of the RTS.

The Election Commission of Pakistan later sent a letter to the Cabinet Division to conduct inquiry into failure of the Result Transmission System during general elections on July 25.

The ECP directed the Cabinet Division to constitute an inquiry committee comprising experts from National Telecommunication, Information Technology Security Board and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and finalize the inquiry report within four weeks.

After assuming power, Prime Minister Imran directed Senator Azam Swati to get forensic report on the failure of the election results transmission application before publication of the report.

What is RTS?

The RTS is an android application which enables election officers to send the results to the ECP in real time.

Nadra teams had to go to the offices of Returning Officers to activate the software, and according to the ECP, the RTS software was installed in the smartphones of all Presiding Officers (PO) who were able to transmit Form 45 (containing tabulated results of the polling station) via their phone to the ECP on election day.