Mock voting: Biometric system under scrutiny after first trial

Readers failed to recognise several thumb impressions in Sir Biland Pura.

PESHAWAR:

The biometric system intended for use in upcoming local government polls was taken for a test drive on Saturday. Mock voting was conducted in three union councils in Peshawar.

It remains to be seen if the rather pricey new system will prove fruitful or not.  Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan said the biometric apparatus will cost Rs2 billion – 52 biometric machines will be required across the province.

Mock voting was conducted in Sir Biland Pura, Badhai and Wadpaga union councils, however, difficulties in implementing the system surfaced as machines failed to recognise some thumb impressions of registered voters in Sir Biland Pura.

However, after the mock voters washed their hands and ‘voted’ again, the machine recognised the impressions. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Suno Khan Baloch, acting Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Chairman Justice Nasirul Mulk, member ECP Justice (retd) Fazl Rehman and member election committee K-P Justice (retd) Shahzad Akbar were present on the occasion.

According to Suno Khan Baloch, the voting process was being tested to thwart all possibilities of rigging in elections, and was organised by the ECP on the request of the K-P government.



The acting chairman, however, admitted there were flaws in the new system. “NADRA needs to provide data and send it to the ECP by December 31, so it can consult the K-P government with regards to future plans.”

Suno, however, seemed optimistic of overcoming the flaws of the biometric system. “We conducted the test to sort out the weaknesses. The system was also appreciated by the voters,” he said.

The acting chief election commissioner maintained the government is committed to holding free and fair elections in the province and will utilise all resources to make that possible. A participating voter told The Express Tribune that manpower will still be required to run operations smoothly on election day, even in spite of biometric machines.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2013.