Thousands deprived of right to vote

Many couldn’t get CNICs despite NADRA’s ‘speedy’ operations

ISLAMABAD: Thousands of voters could not exercise their right to franchise because of time limitations, non-transference of votes, and late delivery of Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC).

A large number of voters complained that either their votes could not be transferred from one area to another or they could not get their CNICs despite a speedy printing of around 650,000 identity cards by the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) in the last five days.

Though, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) formally requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to extend polling time as a large number of voters were still standing in lines to cast their votes due to the slow polling process. The requests, however, were turned down.

Among the many reasons for turning down these requests, the poll body said, the decision to extend time has to be taken three hours before the closing of polling time under the new election laws. Besides, the ECP said, returning officers have to compile results by 2am after voting ends and if they fail to do so, a written notification has to be submitted to the ECP.

Earlier, the poll body had opposed the move when the clause was being inserted in the Elections Act, 2017, but the parliamentarians had expressed that delay was among the key reasons for manipulation of election results.

Under Section 70 of the Election Act 2017, the ECP may extend polling hours already fixed at one or more polling stations in exceptional circumstances to be recorded in writing but such decision shall be taken “at least three hours before the close of the poll” enabling the returning officer to convey the decision of the commission to all presiding officers under his jurisdiction well before the time already fixed for close of the poll.

Meanwhile, a large number of people could not cast votes because their votes were not transferred despite fulfilling the requirements set by the ECP.

Many voters said that they filled the forms and submitted the same in time at the designated places yet their votes remained in areas from where they wanted to transfer from, adding that they could not afford to travel to other cities just to cast their votes. Feeling aggrieved and disappointed, many said, the whole exercise turned out to be meaningless as the purpose could not be achieved.

Earlier, when contacted, the ECP reasoned that people should have checked with the District Election Commissioner within the stipulated time for reconfirmation of their votes. Since the electoral rolls were updated quite late; therefore even if people had approached DEC it would have been of no use because the electoral lists were finalised and “frozen” before the election schedule is announced.

On the issue of late or non-delivery of CNICs, NADRA’s press release issued on July 24 stated that 650,000 cards were printed in five days and out of the total cards, 585,000 were transferred to the NADRA centres as well. By July 24, the statement said, 300,000 citizens collected their cards, adding that the offices would remain open till 2pm on Election Day.

NADRA spokesperson Faiq Chachar told The Express Tribune that due to it being an official holiday, he did not have the exact figures as to how many cards were handed over till 2pm on July 25, adding that the time was extended till 3pm in Karachi. He said NADRA completed a month-long process within a week’s time and tried its best to provide maximum convenience to citizens.