ECP Secretary Ishtiaque Ahmed Khan said the commission was ready to carry out the verification process if concerned election tribunals took any such decision.
With complaints of rigging in the May 11 elections still trickling in, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is considering a proposal to verify voters’ thumb impressions in the constituencies where complaints have been made.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, ECP Secretary Ishtiaque Ahmed Khan said the commission was ready to carry out the verification process if concerned election tribunals took any such decision. The ECP has already notified election tribunals – which comprise retired high court judges – to take up election-related complaints and decide the petitions within 120 days.
ECP officials said the commission can also order random verification of thumb impressions on the counterfoils of ballot papers if tangible evidence was provided. The commission had earlier claimed that it would be using a special ink for voters’ thumb impressions which would allow them to be verified through the National Database and Registration Authority’s database.
Over 50 complaints have been filed with the ECP on Wednesday, the ECP officials said. Some political parties have also been demanding the verification of thumb impressions, claiming that bogus votes were cast in several constituencies.
Re-poll announced
The commission has ordered re-polling at two polling stations of NA-269 (Khuzdar) and four polling stations of NA-41 (Tribal Area-VI) following reports of irregularities. Re-polling will take place on May 21. Re-polling has also been ordered at 21 polling stations of NA-26 (Bannu) on May 25, along with four stations of PK-71 (Bannu-II) and three stations of PK-72 (Bannu-III).
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Iqbal Haider has filed a petition with the ECP seeking re-polling in all stations of NA-250 (Karachi-XII). The commission had ordered a re-poll in 43 polling stations of the constituency after suspending the balloting on the election day. The re-poll is set to take place on May 19. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also demanded re-polling in the entire constituency.
The ECP has issued notices to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar to appear in person or through counsel on May 17.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2013.
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Then what is the benefit of thumb prints, why do they ask people to get their thumbs inked ??