Heavy price tag: Lack of funds may delay elections in G-B
CEC says they asked for Rs200 million, received only Rs13 million.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) G-B Chief Hafeezur Rehman told The Express Tribune polls will be conducted as per schedule and that funds have already been arranged. STOCK IMAGE
GILGIT:
Lack of funds at the disposal of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Election Commission may delay Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for May.
“We had asked the government for Rs200 million but we have received only Rs13 million,” a commission insider quoted Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Tahir Ali Shah on Monday. The CEC reportedly said the shortage of funds has hampered poll preparations.
The source added the commission is limited by bureaucratic tendencies and is not free to spend the little funds it receives from the Centre. The electoral list is yet to be finalised while the forms are not ready, staff is untrained and the commission’s kitty is too humble to afford returning officers, polling officers and assistant polling officers. “How can we ensure adequate election arrangements in the absence of funds?” Shah was quoted as saying. He added there are numerous constituencies where additional polling stations are required.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) G-B Chief Hafeezur Rehman told The Express Tribune polls will be conducted as per schedule and that funds have already been arranged.
“The election commission’s financial woes have been communicated to the party’s central leadership. I hope the elections will not be delayed now,” he said, adding the federal government will pay National Database and Registration Authority for its services directly.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2015.
Lack of funds at the disposal of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Election Commission may delay Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for May.
“We had asked the government for Rs200 million but we have received only Rs13 million,” a commission insider quoted Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Tahir Ali Shah on Monday. The CEC reportedly said the shortage of funds has hampered poll preparations.
The source added the commission is limited by bureaucratic tendencies and is not free to spend the little funds it receives from the Centre. The electoral list is yet to be finalised while the forms are not ready, staff is untrained and the commission’s kitty is too humble to afford returning officers, polling officers and assistant polling officers. “How can we ensure adequate election arrangements in the absence of funds?” Shah was quoted as saying. He added there are numerous constituencies where additional polling stations are required.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) G-B Chief Hafeezur Rehman told The Express Tribune polls will be conducted as per schedule and that funds have already been arranged.
“The election commission’s financial woes have been communicated to the party’s central leadership. I hope the elections will not be delayed now,” he said, adding the federal government will pay National Database and Registration Authority for its services directly.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2015.