EC to prepare rolls with pictures by Dec 31

June 25, 2010

ISLAMABAD: For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the Election Commission has started preparing new computerised electoral rolls containing pictures of voters. And the process is likely to be completed by December 31.

“The process of preparing new electoral rolls has started… it is for the first time in the country’s history that photographs of voters will also be included in the electoral rolls,” a senior official privy to the development told The Express Tribune. Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Hamid Ali Mirza hopes the new lists will eliminate chances of bogus voting.

The official said that a task force, headed by Election Commission Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed, has been formed to monitor the preparation of new electoral rolls. The task force will meet on the 7th of every month.

The secretary has met senior officials of the commission and representatives of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to evolve a mechanism to prepare new electoral rolls, the official said.

“The Election Commission will have new, updated, credible and complete electoral rolls by January 1 next year,” the official said.

He said the commission was determined to achieve this target with assistance from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to eliminate chances of rigging.

Moreover, a pilot project of the Election Commission and Nadra has been launched in Swabi, Quetta, Karachi and Muzaffargarh. Joint Secretary (Elections) Syed Sher Afgan has been made director of the project. The commission has been facing criticism from parties and civil society organisations over its electoral rolls containing multiple entries and other errors.

Another senior official told The Express Tribune that all political parties invited at a consultative session by the commission a few weeks back had recommended preparation of new error-free electoral rolls. They had also suggested electronic voting machines be introduced in future to deal with the issue of rigging.

In this regard, the commission has convened a two-day meeting on June 29 to demonstrate electronic voting system.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2010.