Among its proposed election reforms, ECP has asked the Parliament to amend relevant laws in order to extend the period of scrutiny for nomination papers. PHOTO: FILE
In what appears to be the first practical attempt to discourage tax evaders and loan defaulters from taking part in elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to ask for prospective candidates’ National Tax Numbers (NTN) in their nomination forms.
In a meeting with the commission on Wednesday, officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) also agreed to extend full cooperation in preventing offenders from contesting the elections.
“During the meeting, FBR’s team assured the ECP that the board shall extend its full cooperation in the forthcoming elections,” read a statement by the commission’s media office.
According to the statement, the team elaborated that FBR could help ECP by providing the particulars of candidates who are either not on the tax roll or are not filing tax returns despite being on the tax roll. The team claimed the board could verify the candidates’ NTNs and statements of assets and liabilities as well. The FBR team told ECP that it would also recommend certain changes in the current format of the nomination papers and the declaration of assets to be filed by candidates.
Meanwhile, SBP, while assuring its full cooperation, agreed to share information available with its Electronic Credit Investigation Bureau (ECIB).
“ECIB has information on those borrowing from financial institutions running under SBP’s supervision. SBP is ready to share this information under relevant laws,” the ECP spokesperson quoted the SBP officials as saying following the meeting.
In Wednesday’s meeting, FBR and SBP officials agreed to verify prospective candidates’ statements of assets and liabilities within a period of 10 days upon receipt. According to ECP’s media office, another meeting to finalise a mechanism for verifying nomination papers will be held within a week’s time as well.
Among its proposed election reforms, ECP has asked the Parliament to amend relevant laws in order to extend the period of scrutiny for nomination papers. Under current laws, the commission has between three to four days to complete the process, rendering the exercise a mere formality.
Eligibility for contesting elections is defined by articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. Returning officers (RO’s) – usually district and session judges – are supposed to verify whether a prospective candidate is qualified to run for elections. Till now, ROs have had to rely solely on the candidates’ own declarations and objections filed by other candidates in order to verify their eligibility.
ECP says that this time around, ROs will be provided computers with an online system to check candidates’ tax and loan history. While the commission has asked the Parliament to increase the scrutiny period to 30 days, the parliamentary panel constituted in this regard will likely only extend it to 14 days.
If implemented in true spirit, many political bigwigs may be barred from taking part in the polls. ECP’s working paper in this regard, available with The Express Tribune, acknowledges that its proposals are unprecedented and may encounter difficulties and resistance in the start. However, it adds that once its proposals start functioning, they would definitely bring about fruitful results.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (8)
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This is too little electoral reforms mean compulsory voting and runoff elections which can produce positive results. Getting entangled with frivolities will make no difference.
Beginning of a bright future for Pakistan. A right step in the right direction. Many old and corrupt will be eliminated.
National Tax Number (NTN) can be obtained easily by paying small amount of tax.This is not solid step.And as far as utility bills are concerned then telephone's,electricity's and gas' departments can give you clean chit and remove your names from defaulters' lists by paying half bills or in 2 to 3 equal installments.....
A good step in the right direction, may it gets implemented in its letter and spirit untill then its nothing but a piece of shiny news.
Nomination forms hold the key. Nice depiction of the meeting Mr. Ghauri. Lets hope the ECP gets at least 15 days if not 30 to verify credentials of prospective candidates in order to ensure only the candidates with a clean slate make it the parliament.
Having tax number (NTN) is easy and not useful What needs to be sought is Income declared in Tax Returns for last Three years and date of filing of those returns along with evidence of tax payments (challans).Bank challan will give date of payment and FBR will not be able to fudge the date of filing
Agreed. Set the standard. Those who have themselves on the hook will try their utmost to wriggle free; EC needs to bar them from doing so.
So it all depends on Parliamentarians, they have hoodwinked the nation for decades and why would they go along with the proposals of ECP to hurt their chances to fleece the nation.Majority of them don't pay any taxes and then they have the audacity to make tax laws to subvert the whole taxation system. I say Pakistan does not need any hand outs or loans while mortgaging their country if the tax payers will pay their fair share of taxes, I am not going to hold my breath for these politicians to do the right thing once in their life time.,