5 year strategy draft: ECP proposes electronic voting machines for next general elections
Election Commission plans to use GIS data for delimitation of constituencies.
The ECP plans to introduce electronic, biometric voting machines for the next general elections. PHOTO: APP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious draft strategic plan for the next five years, including the deployment of electronic voting machines (EVM) in the 2018 general elections.
Unveiling the draft plan in Islamabad on Tuesday, the ECP further indicated that it would conduct delimitation of constituencies using Geographic Information System (GIS) along with a fully autonomous commission among 160 objectives outlined under 13 broader goals.
The five year plan (2014-2018) follows the first five year plan for the ECP (2010-2014). The draft strategy would still need legislative feedback from the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government thorough National Assembly and the Senate. The ECP has sought feedback from all stakeholders by May 15 before it is placed before the commission for final approval.
The new strategic plan comes at a time when Imran Khan led Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaaf and Dr Tahir ul Qadri led Pakistan Awami Tehreek are set to launch a country wide protest campaign demanding reforms in electoral system.
In its first five-year Strategic Plan (2010-2014) launched in May 2010, the ECP claimed that it would achieve 80 per cent of listed targets by the end of 2013. Some of the landmarks in that plan had included preparation of electoral rolls with photographs and National Identity Card numbers of registered voters, use of magnetic ink for thumb impressions of the voters to verify authenticity of a voter, setting up full time post-election tribunals, launching 8300 SMS service to check if someone’s vote is registered address of polling station to cast a vote.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious draft strategic plan for the next five years, including the deployment of electronic voting machines (EVM) in the 2018 general elections.
Unveiling the draft plan in Islamabad on Tuesday, the ECP further indicated that it would conduct delimitation of constituencies using Geographic Information System (GIS) along with a fully autonomous commission among 160 objectives outlined under 13 broader goals.
The five year plan (2014-2018) follows the first five year plan for the ECP (2010-2014). The draft strategy would still need legislative feedback from the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government thorough National Assembly and the Senate. The ECP has sought feedback from all stakeholders by May 15 before it is placed before the commission for final approval.
The new strategic plan comes at a time when Imran Khan led Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaaf and Dr Tahir ul Qadri led Pakistan Awami Tehreek are set to launch a country wide protest campaign demanding reforms in electoral system.
In its first five-year Strategic Plan (2010-2014) launched in May 2010, the ECP claimed that it would achieve 80 per cent of listed targets by the end of 2013. Some of the landmarks in that plan had included preparation of electoral rolls with photographs and National Identity Card numbers of registered voters, use of magnetic ink for thumb impressions of the voters to verify authenticity of a voter, setting up full time post-election tribunals, launching 8300 SMS service to check if someone’s vote is registered address of polling station to cast a vote.