Polling schemes not finalised in over 50pc constituencies
By Sher Baz Khan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 9: Polling and security arrangements are yet to be finalised in more than half the constituencies with the election day less than a month away, says a survey report.
The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), which has observers in more than 100 constituencies of 62 districts in the four provinces, found that only 35 returning officers had sent lists of polling stations to district returning officers by the end of November.
The situation is reportedly almost the same in constituencies not monitored by FAFEN, a coalition of Pakistan’s 30 leading civil society organisations.
The network found that lists of polling stations had not been received by district returning officers in Chakwal, Toba Tek Singh, Pak Pattan, Sahiwal, Mianwali, Haripur, Swabi, Karak, Nowshera, Tank, Dadu, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Karachi West, South, East and Central, Matiari, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Thatta and Jafferabad.
It observes that delay in finalising polling schemes and last-minute changes in the location of polling stations, especially without consultation with and intimation to candidates, create suspicions about the credibility of the process.
Political parties and candidates need to know the location of polling stations as well as the number of polling booths well ahead of the election day in order to be able to prepare and train their polling agents.
Under the Election Commission rules, district returning officers are responsible for ensuring that proper security, communication and contingency plans are drawn by law-enforcement agencies in consultation with them.
According to the survey, planning for election-related logistical and security requirements has been finalised in 73 constituencies of 12 districts.
No such plans, however, are in place in 34 constituencies of Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanewal, Jhelum, Mardan, Karak, Malakand, Mansehra, Tank, Dadu, Nawabshah and Tando Mohammad Khan.
EC officials in 69 constituencies are prepared to address emergencies that require a role of security agencies on or before the day of elections. But, such level of preparedness is not there in more than 35 constituencies of Attock, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanewal, Lahore, Jhelum, Mianwali, Charsadda, Mardan, Abbottabad, Swabi, Karak, Malakand, Mansehra, Tank, Dadu, Sukkur, Noshero Feroze, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi East, Malir, Nawabshah and Tando Mohammad Khan. The Election Commission is yet to introduce and standardise mechanisms at the district level to redress complaints related to violation of election laws and the code of conduct. Absence of such systems causes distrust among contesting candidates and the general public, FAFEN observes.
Interviews by the network with some EC officials suggest that such mechanisms are in place in some shape in 36 constituencies, although details on how will they function are not clear.
There is no complaint-handling mechanism in constituencies of Chakwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Attock, Abbottabad, Karak, Mansehra, Tank, Dadu, Khairpur, Noshero Feroze, Malir, Umer Kot, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Thatta, Jafferabad and Bolan.
The EC has also not specified any mechanism at the constituency level to track and enforce election spending limits on contesting candidates.
