ISLAMABAD: The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected to present details of complaints received against returning officers (ROs) to the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms when the body meets on Monday, a senior ECP official told Dawn.

“We have prepared a written note, detailing the complaints against ROs, which will be shared with the parliamentary committee,” the official told Dawn on Saturday.

Although according to the agenda of the meeting, the ECP’s briefing on the 2013 general elections will continue on Monday, the official said the briefing had already been concluded.

Also on the agenda is discussion on proposals received from civil society, lawyers, the general public and members of the parliamentary committee for ensuring free, fair and transparent elections. These include suggestions for legislation, use of technology and other means to improve the system of elections.

The official said the ECP would be ready to present its view on the proposals and bridge the gaps identified.

Polling staff, including ROs, have been accused of influencing election results in some constituencies and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan had also alleged that the ROs were being controlled by then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry — an allegation denied by the ECP.

The commission, in a fact-sheet submitted to the parliamentary committee after a controversy on ROs’ role sparked by the contents of a post-election review report placed on the ECP’s website, had made seemingly vague remarks; it had neither confirmed nor denied a key accusation that the ROs drawn from judiciary had changed polling schemes and replaced trained polling staff with un-trained personnel shortly before elections without informing the ECP.

It had simply explained that the appointment of judicial officers as district returning officers (DROs) and ROs had been made on the demand of political parties, including the PTI.

Under the law, returning officers were required to carry out all such actions as may be necessary for effectively conducting an election.

Regarding the controversy whether the ROs were under the control of the ECP or not, the fact-sheet stated that the ECP was the appointing authority for ROs and they were under the ECP insofar as matters relating to the conduct of elections were concerned and the ECP may give them directions in accordance with the law to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly and fairly. “The ECP issued the necessary directions to the DROs and ROs through provincial election commissioners,” it said, but stopped short of revealing if all these directions and instructions had been implemented.

It also did not outline the procedure to punish polling staff, including DROs, ROs and presiding officers, found to be involved in electoral irregularities.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2014