ECP ropes in FIA for technology use in Senate polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan Monday held an emergency meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan in the chair.

During the meeting, the CEC and the other members of the Commission brainstormed the use of technology after a government delegation, comprising some federal ministers and adviser to the PM, visited the commission and offered "technological support" for carrying out the Senate elections in view of the Supreme Court’s opinion about the presidential reference.

The commission also called out the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officers for consultation on the use of technology in the Senate elections to ensure transparency. The government delegation comprised Fawad Chaudhry, Shafqat Mahmood and advisers to PM Shahzad Akbar and Babar Awan.

The federal cabinet members urged the Election Commission to chalk out a way for ensuring transparency in the Senate polls in the light of the Supreme Court opinion. It was learnt that the Election Commission would devise a strategy within 24 hours after mutual consultations among the members.

“[We told the ECP that] whatever technology [you need] we have it,” said Fawad while talking to reporters after the meeting. He said if the ECP used the offered technology, then the ballot papers would be printed “within two hours”

"If we can print currency [within record time] then we can also print 1,500 ballot papers," said Fawad Chaudhry. He said the Supreme Court, in its opinion, had maintained that votes will be identifiable for the ECP but they will remain "secretive" for the political parties.

He said this was recommended by the apex court so the ECP could investigate allegations of horse trading. The minister said they trusted the ECP office-bearers adding that all institutions were liable to cooperate with the ECP as per the Constitution.

Fawad said the apex court’s advice was quite clear that every vote to be polled would be identifiable and it would be found out, who voted for whom. “We have urged the Election Commission to implement the SC’s opinion in letter and spirit,” he remarked.

Shafqat contended that in their view the best way was that there might be a bar code or anything else, which should help the Election Commission to determine, who had voted for whom.

“The PTI feels that this SC decision validates our stance and takes it forward against the environment of corruption with regard to the Senate polls, which had been developed in the past, must be eliminated. And, what the SC said is that such measures should be taken, which should not let the corruption mar the poll exercise,” he maintained.

Babar Awan said the entire power went to the words under Article 218 i.e. to organize and conduct the elections, which the Election Commission does. He said Imran Khan had been striving for corruption-free elections from the beginning.

“He wanted that at least once there should be no market of conscience-selling during the Senate elections,” he said.

According to APP, Babar Awan said the Supreme Court opinion had highlighted the government's stance and asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure transparency in the Senate elections.

“Paragraphs 3, 5 and 6 of the opinion are very important where the apex court has highlighted the stance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),” he said talking to the media outside the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Dr Babar said the SC, in its opinion, quoted the verdict of a 5-member bench in Niaz Ahmed case of 1967 in which the court had held that the secrecy of the ballot was not absolute and that it had not to be tempered by practical consideration necessitated by the process of election.

He said today the apex court had advised the ECP to decide the matter regarding secrecy of ballots in the Senate election keeping in view the ground realities.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz tweeted that the opinion of the Supreme Court about the Senate elections was historic. The minister said today was the day of disappointment for those selling their conscience.

“Those who set up markets for votes will be frustrated. This is the success of Imran Khan's vision for transparent elections,” Shibli noted. He contended that the use of technology in the light of SC opinion would ensure transparency and vote identification.