October 17, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 4, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: With general elections just round the corner the importance and necessity of electoral reforms for conducting free and fair elections has never been more evident.

However, it seems that despite frequent public talk on the subject, no substantial measures have been taken so far in terms of electoral reforms that could inculcate a sense of confidence that the elections this time around would be truly fair and free.

Both the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) need to do better within their respective mandates.

The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan), a non-governmental organization (NGO), through a press statement on Tuesday, demanded of the government to immediately open up dialogue with civil society organizations and political parties to evolve consensus on reforms that need to be urgently implemented to ensure that free and fair elections could take place in the country.

According to the CPDI, this dialogue must cover issues like an independent and empowered ECP, the form and composition of a caretaker government, code of conduct, concerns about electoral violence, expeditious, fair disposal of election-related complaints and promotion of issue-based politics, that helps in eliminating the influence of corrupt and criminal elements in electoral politics.

On a simultaneous track, it says, the ECP must also hold consultations with stakeholders with the aim of implementing reforms within the framework of its existing mandate and powers. The CPDI believes that there are a lot of concerns, which the ECP can itself address by taking appropriate steps, especially in relation to administrative arrangements, necessary procedural changes and implementation of code of conduct.

The consultations would also be useful in order to share information, receive feedback, discuss matters relating to the conduct of upcoming general elections and develop consensus on issues that appear to be contentious. Such consultations would be useful for identifying the related problems and concerns and then getting them addressed in a timely manner, which might help in building the confidence of stakeholders in the ECP.

Such consultations would be more meaningful, if they involved the chief election commissioner (CEC) personally and conducted on regular intervals and in an institutionalised manner. The proposed consultations must involve all stakeholders, especially political parties and civil society, and must be held in a transparent and structured manner, which should be possible by establishing a Stakeholder Consultation Forum to meet on a weekly or fortnightly basis, the CPDI suggests.