The ECP plans to introduce electronic, biometric voting machines for the next general elections. PHOTO: APP/FILE
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.
COMMENTS (21)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1723278472-0/BeFunky-collage-(4)1723278472-0-165x106.webp "article")
1732530440-5/Copy-of-Untitled-(85)1732530440-5-270x192.webp "pti convoys face tear gas as march towards islamabad continues")
1732525382-0/Express-Tribune-(10)1732525382-0-270x192.webp "pti protests timeline since imran khan s ouster")
1732523977-0/Copy-of-Untitled-(82)1732523977-0-270x192.webp "pti protest barrister gohar meets imran khan at adiala jail")
@unbelievable: India has been using EVMs for the past 15 years and these are the only ones used for central (federal) elections, state elections and even much smaller local elections. Indian EVMs have exported to 4-5 countries. I have used these on numerous ocassions and it is much, much better than the old paper ballot in terms of convenience, reduction of voter errors and malpractices such as booth capturing.
I am sure India will help in case Pakistan asks.
@Beck: @Parvez: The only way there could be malpractices with the EVM is with the connivance of election officials. Otherwise the technology is rock solid and has in-built security measures. For instance in case a booth is about to be captured, the election official only has to press a single "panic button" and the EVM is irreversibly locked and can no longer be used by anyone to cast votes. Even the local election officials will not be able to get it working again. In addition, the EVMs allow only one vote every few minutes, therefore even if the booth was captured only a few votes can be cast before reinforcements arrive.
Better check with the army first before spending all that money.
@Beck: Agree.........but it will be much harder.
so another lollypop. you can build tech-city in five year let alone the voting system which 3/4 of the world has done already.
stop fooling the nation.
These machines will be useful IF the pakistani army does not take over the current government as usual before 2018.
I'm sure we'll find a way to misuse the system in our favour. Such is our nature.
Great opportunity to reach out to India which has one of the best electronic systems available - no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Why is it a proposal ?........it is an absolute necessity if the next elections are to called free and fair.
LOL, MQM will not win even one seat.
Look forward to them cry afoul till death about this. I am really intrigued how they will make this a conspiracy against the karachi folk.
FYI: Im a born and raised Karachiite whose parents were immigrants :)
I'm just wating for a PTI-wala to cry that the machines were altered, and elections were rigged.
Why u want to copy every thing from india
@AliG: You are not happy?
@fawad:
Exactly! :)
To all PTIs: happy now???
ECP..what about census before next election..
When the thugs from a major political party were insulting me and my whole staff and taking out booklets for stamping, I really wished and wondered that we could have avoided all of this, had EC opted for the thumb verification machines.
I want to share the words of the 'chief thug' when I asked him that look you are stamping the ballot but we need different thumb impressions as well to do the formality. He said " Kitnay Anghotay Cheyeen, Bol? (Tell me how many thumbs you need?)".
Army in the Polling Station and E Voting Machine, that's the easy solution. At the risk of sounding pessimistic and cynical, I know this will not happen.
Another drama to defuse protests by pti. Just shows ecp is being controlled by pmln.
ECP is too reactive and not proactive enough. EVM needs to be introduced as soon as possible so that we can test drive it for the local body elections. Otherwise, they will have an excuse to forgo it in the next election.
Too Late and outdated tactics ! Proposing time is over.It's time of implementation
No proposals, it is must.
MQM's rigged mandate in Karachi, RIP