Technical glitches: Fake votes expected in PTI intra-party polls

Party has failed to learn from past mistakes, say observers


Qamar Zaman February 01, 2016
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claims to have learnt lessons from first intra-party elections which were marred by millions of fake votes and use of money to buy voters, but things seems no different from the past, political analysts said. They pointed out that the Code of Conduct devised by the party’s election commission does not states limit for election expenditures.

“In order to create and maintain a level playing field among candidates, and to ensure the election expenses remain within nominal limits, no campaign relating to the party elections shall employ any means other than door-to-door canvassing, telephonic solicitation by the candidate, solicitation by the electronic mail, use of free social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, and distribution of multiple copies of a single page handbill or leaflet,” reads the recently announced Code of Conduct by the PTI Election Commission.



During the last elections held some four years ago, the party claimed to have over eight million members, but more than half were found fake. Interestingly, the party was aware that millions of fake voters would again register in its on-going membership campaign. The membership process would end on February 28, but is extendable for two weeks.

“We will scrutinise around 50% of the voters,” PTI Election Commission spokesperson Advocate Farrukah Dal said while talking to The Express Tribune, here on Saturday. Dal said that votes selected for scrutiny would be verified both physically and electronically.

Though there would be verification, the registration process itself provides an opportunity to dodge the party leadership.

SMS voting

According to PTI officials, each vote would be registered against a mobile phone number. There was no check on those having more than one SIM card as they can register more than one vote.

Like the last elections, the voting would be held through text messaging in which contesting candidates would be allocated a code and voters would reply the SMS within a 12 or 24 hours timeframe.

He said PTI avoids paper ballots. “Voting through ballots involves huge amount of resources and money,” he explained.

Dal said polling dates have not been finalised yet, but one decision has been taken—there would be no elections in Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st,  2016.

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