ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday shared a document with the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms containing complaints against returning officers drawn from the judiciary and received during the general elections last year.

The document, however, appeared to be contrary to repeated complaints of the opposition implying that the ROs were involved in massive irregularities. A participant of the meeting told Dawn that according to the document, only seven complaints had been received against ROs and all of these were of a minor nature.

Also read: ECP blames ROs for election mess]1

The ECP also provided to the parliamentary panel the minutes of a meeting where prominent political parties, during a consultative session, had requested appointment of judicial officers to act as district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) in the elections.

The committee, which met here with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair, also discussed the proposed introduction of electronic voting machines (EVM) and biometric system to verify voters in the next general elections.

Some members expressed reservations on the plan, saying it must not be done in haste. The ECP was advised to undertake a pilot project before introduction of the system.

Officials from the ECP said they already had plans for a pilot project and held out an assurance to the committee that the commission would move cautiously to remove any flaws identified during the trials.

Chairman and members of the Committee congratulated the ECP on its nomination for an international award for 2014 by world renowned jury of electoral experts – International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS). The jury has nominated ECP for global award in acknowledgment of the development of computerised electoral rolls.

The committee was informed that 1,283 proposals on revamping the electoral system had been tabulated under various categories by a special committee headed by secretary to the committee, Karamat Hussain Niazi. Copies of tabulated proposals were presented for perusal of members. The members were also provided a set of recommendations by the International Foundation for Electoral Reforms (IFES), Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), USAID and amendments proposed by Senate and National Assembly standing committees in the past, along with the draft unified electoral law prepared by the ECP.

An 11-member sub-committee, headed by the Federal Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid, was formed to discuss the proposals. The sub-committee will be notified shortly and will meet on Oct 30.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, briefing reporters after the meeting, said the 1,283 proposals tabulated under different categories included 396 suggestions for amendment to the constitution, while 473 related to the representation of People’s Act, 1976. About 312 proposals were of an administrative nature, 19 concerned delimitation and 25 about electoral rolls. Forty-nine proposals were about election laws of 2002 while nine were general in nature.

According to the minister, the committee had the resolve to work for improving the electoral system as a national obligation and that he had invited all members to contribute their best towards this end.

A member of the committee told Dawn the ECP had received a small number of written complaints against ROs as the people knew a toothless commission could take no action against those involved in irregularities. He said contents of the post-election review report prepared by a committee headed by a top official of the ECP revealed something else. He said that the report disclosed various irregularities including abrupt change of polling scheme and staff.

Published in Dawn, October 21st , 2014