THE Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms is, from a democratic perspective, a solid, timely and well-conceived idea that can effect real change in the electoral system and move the country closer towards the ultimate goal of free and fair elections. Unhappily, the catalyst for the electoral reforms committee was neither parliament nor a sober assessment of the shortcomings of last year’s election.

Instead, it took the PTI and its chief Imran Khan to agitate specifically, and only, against PML-N victories in Punjab before the prime minister offered what appeared to be an olive branch in the hope of defanging the PTI’s threat. If the original motive behind a laudable idea was less than salutary, the manner in which the formation of the committee itself has been needlessly dragged out has compounded the problem.

Formation of poll reform committee delayed

Surely, for a committee mooted by the prime minister in the second week of June, the composition of the committee should already have been finalised and its work begun by now. Instead, now the committee will almost definitely meet after the upcoming Eid break — just days before the PTI’s Aug 14 rally and at a time when most politicians will be interested in grandstanding and theatrics rather than sober and serious work.

Unfortunate as the circumstances surrounding the start of the committee’s work are, once it does get under way there is real change that can occur, that is if the committee is steered by able hands and is given a broad mandate and genuine independence. If the transition to democracy is to be protected and consolidated, electoral reforms are a must at two stages: pre-election and election day itself.

History suggests that much of the rigging in elections occurs before a vote is even cast. Who can vote — electoral rolls — and whom they can vote for — candidates declared eligible by judicial officers — are aspects often manipulated to ensure genuine choice is restricted for the voter and that some voters are kept away from voting altogether.

Without a voter’s ability to register his vote easily, as opposed to the present cumbersome process, and a candidate’s ability to contest an election without undue hurdles being created, as happened when returning officers asked unrelated religious and personal questions last year, elections cannot truly be free or fair. Then there is the campaign phase itself, with spending limits, advertising budgets, campaign offices and rallies and meetings with the public regulated only in theory, and never in practice.

But it is on election day itself where much of the focus rightly lies, for unless a voter can easily access a polling station, cast his or her vote unhindered and then have his or her vote properly accounted for and counted correctly, there can be no clean elections.

Transparency is possible, but the electoral reforms committee will need real commitment and backing.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd , 2014