Islamabad, Dec 2 (IANS): In a bid to tackle fake votes in the upcoming general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will use thumbprint-tracing technology to match those on a ballot paper with the national database.

ECP official Muhammad Afzal Khan said the technology will ensure irregularities are avoided in the polling process, the Dawn reported.

"Objectionable votes will be dispatched to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for verification through thumbprints. The thumbprints on ballot papers will be matched with those on the NADRA database," Khan said.

Only those voters who possess genuine computerised national identity cards (CNICs) will be allowed to cast votes.

The ECP will also take strict action against rigging.

"The ECP will disqualify those candidates found to be part of a rigged poll and they will also be declared ineligible for the next elections," he said.

Though no date has been officially announced for the general elections, the current National Assembly will complete its constitutional tenure of five years in March 2013.