Post-election review: Electoral rolls, delimitation flawed, says ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed abandoning Result Transmission System (RTS), new delimitation declaring the old one as flawed, new electoral roles as the previous were faulty, extension in duration of holding elections from existing three months to six months in future and the appointment of “experienced” returning officers in the next general election.

These recommendations have been made in the first-ever post-election review which has been formed part of annual ECP report submitted to the federal government that has not beentabled in Parliament in violation of its legal obligation requiring it to do so within 60 days after the receipt from the ECP. The ECP had submitted the report by March end.

Regarding the RTS, the report said its implementation at all polling stations was a great challenge at a time when internet coverage was limited to only 60% of the area. In addition, arrangement of smart phone for use in the RTS at more than 85,000 polling stations was a gigantic task involving huge money. Training the non-tech savvy presiding officers about the RTS was yet another challenge.

Due to the foregoing, the report noted, “introduction of new technology should not be mandatory under the law until it becomes fool-proof and practicable in the filed . . . The Parliament may reconsider the provision of Section 13 (2) of the Election Act 2017 keeping in view the on-ground challenges.”

The ECP has written in detail about flawed delimitation due to inaccurate maps provided by the revenue departments. “Accuracy of maps was a pre-requisite for error free delimitation. In some cases, maps corresponded neither to revenue record nor census record. Therefore, the Committee repeatedly returns maps to revenue departments/ local administration for necessary rectification,” according to the ECP report.

The inconsistencies in revenue record was another challenge, it further said. There were some serious inconsistencies between revenue record and maps provided by district administration. For instance, in some cases the district administration for its convenience divided the areas of a large Patwar circle among two or more parts, without any notification, according to the post-election review.

“The maps of census charges in respect of urban areas of big cities such as Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan received from PBS (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics) were without physical features on the maps. “In Baluchistan, different Patwar circles were split in non-contiguous two parts in different areas of Quetta and Killa Abdullah districts which created difficulties for the delimitation of the constituencies.”

Due to the above-noted reasons, the ECP has proposed fresh delimitation not later than one year before the completion of the term of Parliament and provincial assemblies. Also, the federal government has been asked to take immediate steps for official publication of census report so that the delimitation of local government elections could be carried out on time.

About the electoral roles, the post-election review conducted by the ECP has pinned blame on Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and National and Database Registration Authority (Nadra). The PBS has been accused of providing requisite census data in December 2017 when it was expected to share in June that year thus making the process very challenging due to time-constraints. Nadra mentioned incomplete addresses in the CNICs and same are reflected in the electoral rolls which made it difficult for verifying officials to locate such voters or even allocate an appropriate and relevant Census Block Code (CBC). Non-issuance of CNICs to women has been cited as the prime reason for gender gap in electoral rolls.

Keeping in view the above-mentioned reasons, ECP has recommending amendment in Election Act 2017 in order to bind the PBS to amend census block code scheme in consultation with ECP so that accurate delimitation and electoral rolls could be provided to general public, candidates and political parties. Also, direction has been sought from the government to NADRA for obtaining accurate address of the applicants while filling of registration form for CNIC.

The post-election review has also identified a challenge of printing ballot papers wherein it has been revealed that “the ballot papers of more than 100 constituencies couldn’t be printed in time which cause transportation problems for the Commission and delayed bulk breaking of ballot papers by the ROs.” Other than up-gradation of printing presses, the ECP has asked for 60 to 90 days extension in time-period for holding elections. In addition, the ECP has sought permission for getting ballot papers printed from local open market “as the printing capacity of government presses is insufficient.”

About the returning officers, the post-election review has noted, who performed election duties for the first time faced certain difficulties in managing electoral activities. It has further been pointed out that district returning officers and returning officers were burdened with work as they were performing election related duties in addition to their routine judicial work.

In its recommendations, the ECP has asked for the appointment of “experienced officers” as returning officers and they may be exempted from their office work with effect from the issuance of election programme till consolidation of results for smooth completion of electoral activities. Likewise, it has called for amendments in the Election Act 2017 in order to provide for appointment of one RO for one National Assembly and its corresponding provincial assembly constituencies as per past practice.