Fair elections: Irregularities reported in LG polls, says FAFEN

The monitor says ECP did little to enforce its code of conduct

LAHORE:

The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) said on Sunday many of the irregularities reported in the 2013 general elections were repeated in Saturday’s local government elections.

Sarwar Bari, a FAFEN founding member, told a press conference all parties had complaints.

“One of the irregularities was not allowing some of the FAFEN representatives to observe the voting and counting process at polling stations, although the ECP had issued it an accreditation in this regard.”

Bari said district returning officers had arbitrarily issued accreditation cards; only 757 observes were given the cards out of the 1,013 approved by the ECP.

Bari presented a preliminary report carrying FAFEN’s findings at 249 polling stations in 12 districts where polling was held in the first phase. It said violations of electoral procedures had been detected at 177 of the polling stations.

Bari said the irregularities included breach of secrecy of ballot, canvassing at polling stations, presence of security personnel at polling stations and interference with the voting by security and election staff.

He said, however, that holding the elections was a step forward to strengthening democracy. “The campaign that preceded the election day was competitive and relatively peaceful, although some candidates continued to accuse the provincial government of using official machinery and allocating funds for development to influence voters.”

Bari said the ECP had done little to enforce its code of conduct for political parties and candidates. He said of the 249 polling stations it monitored, incidents of violence were reported at 14. He said polling started with a delay at four per cent of the polling stations in Bahawalnagar, Lahore, Lodhran and Kasur.

Bari said security officials were found inside 71 per cent of polling stations. The material used for campaigning was found at four per cent of the polling stations. “Violation of secrecy of ballot was reported from 11 per cent of the polling stations,” he said.

He said numerous incidents were reported where candidates, political leaders and workers, “influential persons” or security personnel were found persuading voters to vote in favour of a candidate or party.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2015.