Letter to NA Speaker: ‘Bring electoral reforms debate to parliament’

PM wants formation of parliamentary panel to suggest electoral reforms.

ISLAMABAD:

The discussion of electoral reforms and calls to overhaul the process has been limited so far to public rallies, particularly those held by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but on Tuesday, the prime minister asked that such proposals be discussed on the floor of the Parliament. 

“This issue [electoral reforms] should no longer be the subject of jalsas and public rallies since it has reached the parliament. All those [political parties] who were agitating over the issue should stop now,” said Special Assistant to Prime Minister Irfan Siddiqui while talking to The Express Tribune.

Through a written letter, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had asked Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms in consultation with the Chairman Senate to formulate recommendations on reforms in the electoral process of the country. “Given the importance of the matter, the National Assembly and Senate may consider setting up a Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms to prepare comprehensive recommendations in respect of electoral reforms required to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country,” the letter says.

The PM proposed that the committee include members from both houses of parliament, as well as from the treasury and opposition benches. The committee can propose constitutional amendments as well as the introduction of an electronic voting system. “The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N] have no cravings to appoint its member as head of the proposed committee,” Siddiqui commented. Siddiqui said the committee would have proportionate representation from all political parties and any nomination for the head of the committee would be made by the members.

“This is not a new exercise,” Siddiqui said when asked why the issue was being taken up at this juncture. “Elections in the past had never been associated with good traditions and it was because of one election that the country was divided. Therefore, we want to free the system from this contagion,” he added. Siddiqui said the PM’s letter made reference to a similar parliamentary committee constituted a few years ago. However, other than some cosmetic changes to the process, the committee did not propose a substantial reforms package and the committee’s mandate expired after a five year period. While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been vocal in its allegations of electoral fraud in the 2013 general elections, the party was not a part of this committee as it did not have representation in the parliament after the 2008 elections.

In his letter, the PM said the proposed committee may consider the reports of the last committee and any other proposals submitted by any party, organisation or individual, including suggestions to amend the constitutional provisions relating to caretaker governments and the adoption of the latest technology available to aid polling.

In May, the PTI had initiated a similar proposal and approached opposition parties including the PML-Q and PPP. The PML-Q welcomed the move and nominated its members for the proposed committee. The PTI was also reportedly considering several options including the introduction of a bill in the lower house for electoral reforms.

The proposed committee has been asked to complete its task within three months.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2014.