ECP to summon meeting on EVMs, overseas voting

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has convened a crucial session of its technical committee on Thursday to discuss the possible inclusion of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and extending voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in the next general election, sources said.

The meeting will be chaired by the chief election commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The expansion of EVMs and prospects of voting procedure through the technology will be decided in the light of the recommendations by the committee.

The Election Commission of Pakistan on November 23 had formed three committees to calculate the expenditure of electronic voting machines and amend the existing rules and regulations for using them in line with a law enacted by a joint sitting of parliament.

The first body – the EVMs and Overseas Voting Technical Committee – is headed by the ECP secretary. The committee's mandate is to make recommendations on technologies in the electoral process and to identify international best practices. It will report on the voting procedure for overseas Pakistanis.

The second committee on the expenditure on EVMs, headed by the ECP additional secretary (admin), will present to the commission a report on the fund that would be spent on the machines and e-voting system.

The body will also run the pilot testing of the machines and the mechanism for their use.A third committee, headed by the commission’s director general of law, was set up to make suggestions and recommendations for amendments to the existing laws and rules.

Contempt hearing against Jamshed Iqbal Cheema

On the other hand, the ECP has once again issued a notice to PTI leader Jamshed Iqbal Cheema following his failure to appear before the commission for the hearing of his allegations against the electoral body of being involved in "vote-rigging and bribery".

A two-member bench of the commission was to hear the contempt case against Cheema on December 21 (Wednesday). The ECP had summoned evidence from Cheema to prove his allegations.

Now, the further hearing of the case has been adjourned till December 23.In addition, the Election Commission of Pakistan heard the disqualification case of Punjab Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun.

During the hearing, the counsel for the provincial minister who appeared before pleaded with the commission to provide more to file a reply. Granting him further time to submit a response, the ECP adjourned the hearing till January 18.

Durations of door-to-door voter verification extended

The ECP has extended the door to door verification of electoral rolls campaign across by December 31.

According to ECP, the last date has been extended from December 21, to facilitate people.
The ECP has asked the voters to check their registration status on voters' lists by sending SMS with their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) number to its service 8300 free of charge till December 31.

The ECP had started the door-to-door voting lists updating campaign from November 6, 2021.

The second phase of electoral rolls verification would commence from January 26, next year and continue till March 11. The preliminary draft of the electoral rolls would be displayed in designated display centres for public review.

The voters could add their names to the list and remove the names of deceased voters and voters who had shifted elsewhere.

The review officers would decide about the authenticity of voter lists' objections in their respective areas.(With inputs from APP)