Complaints of inaccuracies abound in voter lists

ECP officials have categorically declared allegations as false, stating that the voter lists were compiled accurately

KARACHI:

Voters and officials from various political parties have raised concerns over the accuracy of the voter lists compiled by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the general elections 2024. They claim that serious errors in the lists have impeded voters from exercising their right to vote, resulting in the disenfranchisement of many.

Waqas, a resident of Liaquatabad, stated that his and his family's voting location was initially designated as GGSS School FC Area but was abruptly changed to GBSS. This sudden alteration left him disenfranchised, depriving him of his voting rights. Another voter, Kashif Khan, alleged widespread inaccuracies in the voter lists, citing instances where votes were made to cast votes at polling stations which were several kilometres away, instead of the ones near their homes.

Saad Hussain, a resident of Malir, lamented that his entire family's votes, initially consolidated in one polling station, were now spread across separate polling stations according to the current lists.

Read NADRA messes up voter lists of 4 districts

Polling agent of a political party Muhammad Ramiz claimed, "There are numerous mistakes in the lists. Serial and family numbers are segregated on multiple pages. We provide people with details based on the electoral rolls, but upon entering polling stations, they are informed that their vote is not registered at that booth. This issue appears to be widespread across Karachi."

Romaisa Shah, a female political agent, highlighted the adverse impact of errors in the voter lists on women voters, stating that many found themselves having to travel long distances to cast their votes. Muhammad Akbar, another political agent, alleged that such discrepancies were observed in numerous polling stations, including those in Districts Central, East, and Malir. He asserted that many voters were unjustly deprived of their voting rights due to errors in the electoral rolls. Abdul Rahman, a resident of Saddar, urged the ECP to compile accurate election lists.

Contrary to these allegations, ECP officials have categorically declared them as false, stating that the voter lists were compiled accurately.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th 2024.