Elections 2018: Fafen report finds various irregularities

ISLAMABAD: The signatures of presiding officers on Form-45 and Form-46 did not match with one another on about 1000 polling stations of NA constituencies during general elections 2018.

Whereas Form-45 of 758 polling stations carried handwriting of multiple persons, Fafen audit report reveals.

The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) carried out the audit of 163 National Assembly constituencies’ Form-45 and Form-46. As per audit report, the signatures of presiding officers do not match with one another on Form-45 and Form-46 on as many as 985 polling stations of different NA constituencies. Similarly, the audit report highlighted around 758 polling stations’ Form-45 where mismatched handwriting was detected.

The mismatched handwriting and signatures are not the only irregularity which has been detected during the audit of Form-45 and Form-46. There were many other grave irregularities detected by The News earlier in August 2018 when it randomly examined the vote count forms. During the examination of these forms it was found that more than 90 percent of the total Form-45 were not signed by the polling agents. Similarly, The News had also detected massive irregularities ranging from counting errors, 100 percent turnout on few polling stations, result forms without names of candidates. Interestingly, most of the Form-45 of three out of ten constituencies are filled with the similar handwriting.

The ECP spokesperson admitted that there could be some irregularities in the Form-45. He, however, said the ECP has already taken action on the complaints of some candidates and ordered re-poll in some constituencies in Balochistan.

Fafen Audit Report about mismatched handwriting, signatures

According to Fafen report, the signatures of presiding officers on 99 polling stations’ Form-45 and 46 do not match with one another in NA-183 Muzaffargarh. Similarly, in NA-184, the signatures of presiding officer on 52 polling stations Form-45 and Form-46 do not match with one another. In another constituency NA-185 of the same district the signatures of presiding officers on 44 polling stations’ Form-45 and Form-46 were found mismatching.

The signatures of presiding officers on 46 polling stations’ Form-45 and Form-46 in NA-92 Sargodha do not match with one another. The same is the case with many other NA constituencies where in dozens of polling stations’ Form-45 and Form-46 bear the mismatching signatures of presiding officers. Though such kind of irregularities have been detected in all four provinces’ NA constituencies but majority of such irregularities have been found in NA constituencies of Punjab.

The report has also detected mismatched handwriting on the same Form-45 in as many as 758 polling stations across the country. Again Punjab is on top of the list in such kind of irregularity.

The News’ own findings after the examination of Form-45

Similarly, earlier in August 2018, The News randomly examined Form-45 of ten constituencies of Sindh and Balochistan to determine whether there are any irregularities in the vote count forms or not. During the examination it is also found that many Form-45 are not even signed by the presiding officers too. It is important to note here that these irregularities were detected only on those polling stations where the signatures of the polling agents are missing on Form-45. In some polling stations, the voting turnout has been shown 100 percent and all the votes have been polled in favour of one candidate.

Irregularities in NA-263 Killa Abdullah

During the audit of NA 263 Killa Abdullah where head of PkMAP Mehmood Khan Achakzai contested elections, The News found massive irregularities in terms of 100 percent turnout on a few polling stations, similar handwriting on many Form-45, no signatures of presiding and assistant presiding officers on many Form-45.

Interestingly, some Form-45 of female polling stations and male polling stations have the same handwriting. During the examination it is found that the PS 30, 34, 51, 74, 91, 108, 110, 137, 151, 155 and 166 have almost same handwriting. Similarly, PS 54, 62, 65, 90, 96, 117,165,195 have same handwriting but different writing style than the above mentioned polling stations.

During the examination of these Form-45 of NA 263, it is revealed that at least seven polling stations’ turnout was almost hundred percent. Interestingly, more than 90 percent votes on these polling stations have been polled to one particular candidate.

The turn out on PS 108 was 100 percent as there were 1,286 votes registered on this polling station and all of them were polled. The News found many corrections and cuttings on this Form-45 as there are 555 female registered voters but the presiding officer mentioned 600 polled votes by female. However, later it was corrected and right number of female voters (555) was written. Similarly, Polling Station Janidda had 1848 registered voters and 1800 votes were polled on this polling station.

There are 1800 registered votes on PS 131 out of which 1780 polled. Out of the 1780 polled votes one candidate got 1666 votes and the remaining votes distributed among a dozen of candidates. The PS 132 has 800 registered voters out of which 683 votes polled. Out of the total polled votes, almost 90 percent votes were polled in favour of one candidate. Interestingly there is no name, signature or thumb impression of the presiding officer and assistant presiding officer.

Similarly, total registered voters on PS 185 are 806 out of which 800 were polled and all of them were cast in favour of one particular candidate. There was no thumb impression of presiding officer and assistant officer on the Form-45 of this polling station. The PS 214 has 1600 registered voters out of which 1465 polled. Interestingly 1446 votes polled to the same (above mentioned) candidate. The PS 215 has 1856 registered votes out of which 1630 votes were polled and interestingly 1626 votes were cast in favor of the same candidate.

On one polling station PS 40, no thumb impression of the presiding officer and assistant presiding officer. The signatures of the presiding officer (female) are different on all three pages whereas there is no name signature or thumb impression of the assistant presiding officer on this polling station.

Some Form-45 have counting errors for example on PS 88 Here Mehmood Khan Achakzai got 388 votes but the PO added only 38 votes in the total vote count. The remaining 350 votes excluded from the total votes of Achakzai. Similarly, on PS 21 at least 50 additional votes added to the total vote count of the candidates. Another counting error found on Form-45 of PS 23 and PS 92 where 28 tender votes have not been added to the total votes.

Irregularities in NA-257

More than 50 percent Form-45 of NA-257 have same handwriting. The Form-45 of this constituency are filled in two different writings (English and Urdu). Interestingly, the Form-45 of many polling stations filled in Urdu have similar handwriting whereas the Form-45 of many polling stations in English also have similar handwriting. More than 50 percent Form-45 of Provincial Assembly Sindh’s constituency PS-21 are filled with the same handwriting.

Irregularities in NA-254 Karachi

During the audit of NA-254 many irregularities found and many Form-45 do not even have the names of candidates. In some polling stations’ Form-45, the number of votes are mentioned but the names of candidates are missing. For example 935 votes polled on PS 3 but no names of the candidates mentioned on Form-45.

Similarly, Form 45 of PS 02, 16, 42, 44, 63, 71, 72, 74, 75, 90, 97, 99, 103, 110, 134 and many other polling stations have no data that which candidate got how many votes. On the other hand, there are some blank pages in the file of NA- 254’s Form-45. More than a dozen of Form-45 have mentioned the total number of votes polled but no names of the candidate have been mentioned in the Form-45.

Many irregularities detected during the audit of another NA constituency from Karachi NA-256. In this constituency incomplete Form-45 of various polling stations have been uploaded due to which it is hard to determine which candidate got how many votes. Even on some Form-45, the names of presiding officer and assistant presiding officer are missing let alone their signatures or thumb impression. For example PS 71, page 222, 232, 233, 236,237,383 and 384. Similarly, some of the Form-45 have mentioned the total votes polled but no names of candidates, for example page 2, 10, 279 and PS 4, 5, 51, 124,125,187,222.

Elections’ experts views on the irregularities

As per the elections experts, the Returning Officer (RO) cannot fill in the new Form-45 if the vote count has changed after the recounting. According to Elections Rules 2017, the RO is bound to correct the result on the same Form-45 after recounting. Even if in any constituency where recounting of elections result is held, the RO cannot fill in the new Form-45, instead he has to make correction on the same form. Therefore, it is not possible that any constituency’s entire or majority of Form-45 are filled with the same handwriting. If there are such cases, this will be considered an irregularity and the ECP must take action on it, the experts believe.

As per the Elections Rule 84 (3), “In case, the Returning Officer finds any error in the Form-45, he shall ask the Presiding Officer to rectify the error and sign the same in token of the fact that the error has been corrected by the Presiding Officer himself: Provided that in the event of correction of Form under this sub-rule, the Presiding Officer shall resend electronically the scanned copy of the corrected Form to the Commission: Provided further that the Returning Officer shall keep copy of the said corrected Form and also place the same in the relevant packet”.

ECP Spokesperson point of view

When contacted, the ECP spokesperson said this is not possible that the signatures of presiding or assistant presiding officers are different on Form-45 and Form 46. However, he said if there are any such cases, this must have been challenged in the election tribunals and the tribunals will decide about such cases. The ECP has ordered re-polling on many polling stations of different constituencies wherever such kind of irregularities were found. Talking about the Form-45 filled with same handwriting the ECP spokesperson said the candidates must have challenged such irregularities and the elections tribunal will decide about it.