ECP seeks timeframe from govt on i-voting system

Urges govt not to use system until shortcomings in third party audit are overcome

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought a timeframe from the federal government asking how long it needed to develop a foolproof internet voting system for the overseas Pakistanis.

In a letter, ECP Secretary Omar Hameed Khan inquired when a system free of international hacking would be devised.

The election supervisor noted that there were flaws in the third-party audit of the internet voting system and urged the government to not use it until shortcomings in the audit are overcome.

It drew the attention of the government to Article 218 (3) of the Constitution and asked how much time National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) would require in devising a flawless internet voting system.

The ECP further said that Nadra and the Ministry of Information Technology should ensure that the internet voting system is made foolproof against international hackers, especially state-sponsored hackers.

The commission sought a timeframe from the parliamentary affairs secretary, home department and Nadra chairman on the issue.

Last month, the secretary and officials of the science and technology ministry and representatives of a Spanish consultancy firm gave a briefing to the ECP members on the internet voting system of the Nadra.

The meeting compared Nadra’s internet voting system with those of France, Estonia and Mexico. It was informed that France had stopped using the internet voting system, while Estonia and Mexico were still using it.

The consultancy firm informed the ECP officials that Nadra’s system fell short of meeting international standards and recommended technological changes to it.