It was announced by the Indian election commission that cell phones will not be allowed inside polling booths.
KARACHI: People in the Indian capital New Delhi came out in millions to exercise their right to vote in provincial elections held on December 4, 2013. Majority of the voters were young boys and girls, who had attained the age to vote. Many voters were sent back home before they could even enter the polling stations. This happened not because their names were not found in the voters’ list but because they were carrying their cell phones with them.
It was announced by the Indian election commission that cell phones will not be allowed inside polling booths in order to ensure transparency in the election. Therefore, all voters bringing their cell phones along were denied entry inside polling booths. They were asked to keep their cell phones at home and then come to cast their votes. This is how governments and institutions in democratic countries make and enforce their laws. After all, it is the supremacy of law that strengthens democracy. Is the Election Commission in Pakistan learning any lessons from our neighbours? If not, it is high time it did so. The sooner, the better.
M Rafique Zakaria
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2013.
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