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| April 13, 2007 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1428 |
Introduction of technology sought in poll process: Review of election rules
ISLAMABAD, April 12: Election rules should be reviewed and suitably amended and electoral process should be automated to ensure holding of upcoming polls in a transparent manner.
This was stressed by speakers including parliamentarians, politicians, academicians, civil society representatives and students at a workshop on “Improving participation of women, youth and non-Muslims in the electoral process in Pakistan”, organised by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) here on Thursday.
They suggested that the Election Commission should benefit from modern technology to make elections rigging free and their results credible. Suggestions were also made for introduction of electronic voting mechanism.
The speakers observed that the Election Commission has to improve people’s faith in its capacities to hold free and fair elections.
The youth suggested that not only parties’ manifesto should be made part of the curricula at college and university levels, but the electronic media popular among the youngsters should carry political awareness and education messages to prepare the youth for leadership roles.
PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said free and fair elections were imperative, and underlined the need for developing a new code of conduct for elections in consultation with the civil society and the political parties.
He said the code of conduct for the 1997 elections was the most comprehensive one and the limit set for election expenditure was reasonable.
He proposed that the Election Commission should make it binding for the political parties to provide information on the steps taken by them for improving participation of women, youth and minorities along with their annual statement of assets and expenditure.
Mr Iqbal said the PML-N would never accept the role of the army in politics. He took a strong exception to the remarks made by MNA M.P. Bhindara in favour of Gen Pervez Musharraf during the workshop and observed that supporters of anti-democratic forces should not be invited at such forums.
Javed Khokar of MQM (Minority Wing) demanded increase in the reserved seats for minorities in the national as well as provincial assemblies.
He said in MQM, not the candidates but the party bore all the expenses on the elections.
Secretary Election Commission Kunwar Mohammad Dilshad said free and fair elections were a fundamental pre-requisite for democracy. He pointed out that in countries where the election process was flawed, the political leadership lacked legitimacy.
Elections in Pakistan unfortunately have been marred by controversy and mistrust. There have been questions regarding transparency of the operations of the electoral process.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan was committed to holding polls in free, fair and transparent manner. He said the computerisation of electoral rolls was in process and the draft electoral rolls were expected to be displayed in May 2007.
About 50,000 display centres would be established throughout Pakistan to invite claims and objections of the people.
He said latest and internationally recognized material including transparent ballot boxes would be used in the next elections.
Mr Dilshad said a comprehensive training programme was being chalked out to provide necessary training to the polling staff and the polling agents. Mass media campaigns will also be launched for educating the voters about the importance of vote and how to exercise it.
He assured that the code of conduct to be prepared in consultation with the political parties would be implemented in letter and spirit, adding that no party would be allowed to affix hoardings, posters or banners larger than the specified sizes.
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