Rs90m approved for thumb verification

ISLAMABAD:

Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on Tuesday approved Rs90 million for National Database and Regulatory Authority (NADRA) to install the hardware and software required to verify thumb impressions of voters on ballot papers.

The PM has directed NADRA to install the required software within 10 days and start the verification process.

Earlier on Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) declared that it would go ahead with thumb verification with the help of NADRA if suggested by the election tribunals.

Showing his willingness and capability to execute the verification of thumb impressions on ballot papers, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik said that the authority did not have a system to verify thumbprints of voters. However, he assured that it would be able to acquire the required software in two weeks.

From verification of 100,000 votes per day, the capability would be enhanced to 500,000 thumb impressions verified per day, the NADRA chief added. However, he made it clear that the cost of required hardware and software would have to be borne by the caretaker government while the operational charges ranging from Rs10 to Rs15 per impression would be paid by complainants.

After the approval of money required, the ECP has instructed NADRA to install the required software and begin the verification process as soon as possible.

Nadra would present reports to the ECP and the complaints tribunals after verifying the votes. The ECP said that the decision to get thumb impressions of voters on electoral rolls had been made to evolve a mechanism to remove doubts and address complaints about rigging. The ECP had used a special magnetic ink for getting thumb impressions of voters on the recommendation of NADRA.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.