Senate polls: ECP bars use of camera inside polling places

It will be a real test of ECP to ensure secrecy of ballot this time.

ISLAMABAD: After attempts of some political parties to change the procedure of Senate polls failed, now it is a challenge for Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure secrecy of the ballot – one of the checks to stop horse-trading.

The ECP on Tuesday issued a notification that the MPs will not be allowed to take mobile sets and other electronic devices – with which picture can be taken – inside the assembly hall at the time of casting votes. The move is an attempt to stop members taking picture of ballot papers.

Taking picture of ballot paper is banned under the ECP’s code of conduct. However, this has never been implemented either in Senate polls or in the general elections in the past.

However, after the hue and cry over horse-trading, it will be a real test of ECP to ensure secrecy of the ballot this time. It is yet to be seen whether the ECP officials – conducting polls on March 5 – will dare to body-search every MP before they cast their votes.

The National Assembly’s hall will be converted into a polling station for two Senate seats from Islamabad. The MNAs will cast votes for these seats.

The hall will also be used as a polling station for election of four senators from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). Twelve Fata MNAs make Electoral College for these four Senators. Voting for Senators for provinces will be held in the four provincial assembly halls.

An official of the ECP told The Express Tribune that it is an open secret that those who indulged in horse-trading in the past had been capturing pictures of ballot papers after marking against the name of candidate whom they voted for.

However, the ECP officials have not taken any action against such MPs in the history of Senate polls.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2015.