EVMs cannot be used in elections as its needs further legislation
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suggested that more legislation is needed before Electronic Voting Machines are used for coming elections.
The three committees were tasked with looking at different aspects of the issue, one body examined the technical aspects, another looked at the cost of the process while the third committee was to pin point challenges and suggest amendments to the existing law and rules.
The ECP took logistic step with a view that offences under the existing law have to be made compatible with the new technology if EVMs are to be used.
As per sections 167, 168, 169, 171,172 and 175 a person is guilty of the offence of corrupt practice of capturing a polling station or polling booth but in present amendments there is no mention about manipulation of EVMs voting.
So in order to stream line the many amendments are to be made. In my opinion amendments in sections 84, 85,86 ,87 and 90 are necessary. It’s further added that section 91 will also be examined which deals with the turnout of women voters, side by side, ECP has to look to the section 93 which covers postal ballot.
The Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has rightly indicated that at least four to six pilot projects would be considered or conducted before opting for EVMs, adding that the Election Commission is all for the introduction of technology and would take all possible steps in that direction.
The Chief is of the view that the government should appreciate that best international practices would be followed and they would learn from the experience of countries using modern electoral technologies.
The Prime Minister has been briefed that the majority of the nine million Overseas Pakistanis will vote in favour of PTI in the next general election.
No party will get all these millions of voters because they do not fall under a single constituency. The Overseas Pakistanis, as is obvious, hail from different constituencies spread all over 272 constituencies.
The Chief Election Commissioner while giving road map also indicated that all stakeholders including political parties and civil societies will be taken on-board in developing voter trust in the new technology.
On overseas voting, the Committee has proposed four options, including internet based voting, postal balloting, online voting at Pakistani missions abroad and postal e-voting. Apart from this, the Committee also proposed reserved seats and separate electoral college for Overseas Pakistanis.
Prime minister must be careful about those flatter advisors and yes men who are misleading him by painting a rosy picture which may cause great embarrassment like he faced in the recent local government elections in KP.
As per electoral history since 1951 to 2018 it is highly incorrect to assume that 100 percent Overseas Pakistanis will cast their votes in favour of one party, as other parties, also have a fairly strong vote bank abroad.
As per section 94 of the Election Act 2017 the right of vote has been granted to the Overseas, some irresponsible individuals, who don’t know the pluses of electoral system, who want to prove that they are more loyal than the king, have started painting a rosy picture for the Prime Minister, claiming that PTI will get 60000 to 80000 additional votes in each constituency. This appears to be contrary to the ground realities.
The Prime Minister and his electoral team should realise that Overseas Pakistanis vote will only make a difference when the gap between the winner and runner up is narrow. Otherwise if the margin is big, the effect of the Overseas Pakistanis vote is likely to be nullified.
—The writer is former Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan and currently Chairman National Democratic Foundation.
