Voter registration on the polling day has been allowed after the Parliament on November 22 approved amendments to the election code with its third and final reading.

The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), an election watchdog, has warned that voter registration on the election day would increase the risk of ballot fraud.

Although the CEC has been carrying out a re-check of voter lists, it is expected that there will be many inaccuracies, as there is little time left before the early presidential elections scheduled for January 5. Opponents are against registering voters on polling day, fearing voter fraud - what is popularly known as ‘merry-go-round’ voting, whereby an individual casts several ballots in different polling stations.

“Those voters registered on the polling day will put their ballot papers in a separate election envelopes, which will differ from ordinary envelopes,” Pavle Kublashvili, a lawmaker from the ruling party said, on November 22.

Voters registered on the polling day will also submit the copies of their IDs and a separate vote tally will be made specifically for ballots cast by voters, who were registered on the polling day.