‘Unrealistic demand’: Biometric system not possible in NA-246, says election commission

Rangers’ request turned down due to a lack of time.

KARACHI:

The election commission has turned down the Rangers' request to install a biometric system for the NA-246 by-elections.

Addressing a press conference at the provincial election commission office on Saturday, election commission secretary Babar Yaqoob said there was not enough time to grant the request. "Technically, it is not possible to install a biometric system in such a short span of time," he said, adding that verification of SIM cards is easy but verification of CNICs is a different matter altogether.  "We reviewed the Rangers' demand for a biometric system at length but it will not be possible."

Yaqoob added that the National Assembly electoral reform committee had also inquired about a biometric system in the by-polls, but the election commission briefing told them that it was unable to make the arrangements.

The election commission secretary, sitting with provincial election commissioner Tanveer Zaki, added that they wanted to hold free, fair and transparent elections in NA-246. "My team and I visited the constituency today and held a series of meetings with the candidates, as well as with Rangers officials, police IG and the provincial chief secretary on the election's arrangements," he claimed.

Yaqoob also added that he had listened to the complaints put forward by the candidates. "Some candidates expressed their concerns over issues such as polling stations and the staff. We are reviewing their grievances," he said, adding that candidates also drew their attention towards ghost polling stations where party offices were located instead of schools and colleges.  "We will not be taking this matter lightly and will investigate it."

Magisterial powers to Rangers

The election commission secretary further said that, given the tense situation, the Rangers, the returning officer and the presiding officers in the constituency had been given first-class magisterial powers.

"These powers have been given under the Code of Criminal Procedure to conduct a summary trial of people involved in impersonation, capturing of polling stations and tampering with nomination and ballot papers and election-related practices," said Yaqoob, referring to a notification issued by the election commission.

However, the secretary said that no Rangers personnel will be deployed inside election booths in order to uphold voter privacy. "Rangers personnel would only be deployed inside and outside polling stations for security purposes," he said. "The sanctity of the voter would be protected as his voting decision should be kept private."

Yaqoob further added that the Rangers personnel will inform the presiding officer of any code-of-conduct violation before taking action.

Surveillance system

The secretary said that, while they were forced to turn down the Rangers' demand pertaining to a biometric system, they had accepted their demand for a surveillance system by installing CCTV cameras inside polling stations.

Load-shedding and mobile phones

The election commission and provincial government would speak to power utility companies to exempt the constituency from load-shedding during voting. "We have also decided to ban mobile phones inside polling stations. Only the presiding officer can use a mobile phone," said Yaqoob.

Ballot papers

An election commission member from Sindh, Roshan Essani, who was sitting besides Yaqoob, said that the constituency's population is around 700,000 while registered voters are 350,000. "We have made arrangements to print 358,500 ballot papers through the Pakistan Printing Corporation," he said. "The printing will be initiated under the supervision of the Rangers and the army, who will transport the ballot papers to and from the polling stations. This way there will be no chance of a leakage or the use of sub-standard printing paper."

Expired CNICs and polling staff

Essani also added that they were considering MQM's demand of allowing voters with expired CNICs to vote.

Essani also briefed the meeting about the election staff. "A total 769 election staffers will be deputed at 213 polling stations, where 403 election booths are being set up for male voters, 367 for female voters and 213 for both.  213 presiding officers and 7,000 policemen will also be deployed."

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2015.