For fairer representation: FAFEN urges political parties to discuss electoral reforms

The primary purpose of the changes should be to establish an ‘independent’ election commission.


Our Correspondent June 02, 2014
At a press briefing at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Fafen’s office bearers said that the fundamental objective was to establish an independent Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP). PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI:


The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) has urged all political parties to initiate a dialogue on wide-ranging electoral reforms to improve the quality of future polls in the country.


“We recommend an exhaustive electoral reforms package that includes proposals for constitutional, legislative, procedural and administrative reforms,” Fafen’s executive council member, Sarwar Bari, read out the recommendations. “The electoral reforms agenda can best be taken up by a joint parliamentary committee that ensures representation of all parties.”

At a press briefing at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Fafen’s office bearers said that the fundamental objective was to establish an independent Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “The Fafen proposes substantial reforms in the appointment, tenure, mandate and authority of the commission,” said Bari.

To translate the independence of the ECP into meaningful authority, it proposes complete financial, regulatory and intra-institutional control to the commission. “The authority of the ECP during the election process should have legal force behind each of its orders, directives and notification to the executive,” said Bari.

Reading out the recommendations, he stressed that the ECP should be provided insulation in matters of election administration from the judiciary as well as the executive. The Fafen proposes insulation of the ECP’s decisions from judicial review during the election schedule and legal barring of serving judicial officers from election duty.

On the issue of unequal representation, it proposes that the size of the constituencies within and among districts, provinces and territories should not vary by more than 10 per cent unless exceptional circumstances prevail, which must in turn be documented.

“The scrutiny should be made possible during the nomination,” Bari stressed, adding that qualification and disqualification of candidates should not be left entirely to the interpretation of the returning officers.

The Fafen stressed that the issue of the appointment of caretaker governments needs to be revisited to ensure greater transparency in the process. It proposed that such appointments be made public at least a month before the expiry of the sitting government’s tenure, so that the political parties have the opportunity to raise objections, if any.

Rizvi pointed out that there were 1,600 appointments and transfers held during the interim set-up last year. “We should follow the Indian model where the commission doesn’t interfere in such matters,” he advised. He pointed out that the turnout of women voters was low compared to previous elections.

The speakers were of the opinion that legal and procedural reforms were required to improve the quality of voting and counting processes. These could include printing unique marks on ballots and secure features specific to each constituency to deter fake ballots.

In response to a question on the introduction of the bio-metric system, Bari said that it would be difficult to implement at the moment. “Records can be traced more easily through papers,” he justified. He added that it was not mandatory for the ECP’s head to be a retired judge. He stressed, however, that a serving judge should not be appointed as the head of the commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2014.

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