Islamabad, Dec 5: Pakistan's Election Commission has rejected allegations from leading opposition parties that January 8 polls will be struck by vote rigging, and insisted that the voting will be held in a free and fair manner.

"The Election Commission is a Constitutional body and it is fully independent to hold free, fair and transparent polls," the commission's Secretary Kanwar Dilshad said.

"The entire election exercise is absolutely free, fair and transparent," a foreign news agency quoted Dilshad, as saying.

"More than 95 per cent of polling stations will be in schools or government buildings, but in some areas where there is no proper building, polling stations would be established in tents or some other premises," Dilshad said.

He said such a move was not new and that improvised polling stations would be set up in consultation with the contesting candidates.

Commenting on allegations that thousands of ballot papers would be stolen, Dilshad said that they would be handed over to officials by January 5 and "there is no question of somebody getting hold of them." (ANI)