FAFEN finds irregularities in G-B polls

The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) – a coalition of 30 domestic non-governmental organisations to observe general elections and mobilise voters – has pointed out irregularities in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly polls held on November 15.

According to a Fafen preliminary report, an average of around three illegalities or irregularities were reported per polling station.

The report is based on the summary observation of 436 polling stations observed in 23 constituencies, more than 37% of 1,137 polling stations.

Fafen had deployed 529 non-partisan observers, including 496 election day observes and 33 long-term observers.

The irregularities include breach of the secrecy of the vote, stamping of ballots by others on behalf of voters, and voters registered at the polling stations turning away for various reasons despite having their National Identity Cards (NICs).

Fafen observers noted that such issues could have been avoided with more diligent enforcement by the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan (ECGB).

It was further reported that instances of allocation of more than the legally prescribed number of voters per polling booth led to over-crowding and disorder at some polling stations.

Similarly, the ECGB did not consistently ensure the provision of Form 45 (the Result of the Count) and Form 46 (the Ballot Paper Account) to all polling agents present at the polling stations during the vote counting process, which would have helped to enhance the integrity of the election results management.  The problem largely occurred due to insufficient numbers of these forms available at the polling stations.

Resultantly, the presiding officers had to issue polling stations’ results to the polling agents on plain papers under their stamps and signatures, the legality of which has yet to be established.

The report stated that the voting and counting processes were mostly transparent, with Fafen observers reporting the presence of polling agents of major political parties and independent candidates at most of the polling stations.

However, instances of polling agents seated at a place from where they could not observe the voting process was reported from six constituencies.

The report further said that the candidates and their agents were barred from the returning officers’ offices during the preparation of the preliminary results in at least three constituencies, and delays in the release of provisional results on Form-47 (Provisional Consolidated Statement of Results of the Count) was reported in more than 10 constituencies.

Many of these problems, however, could have been addressed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) using his clearly defined powers, the report said.