As we are approaching the upcoming general elections, the political heat is rising among the political parties. PTI is head-on with PMLN and PPP for the early general election. The political battleground is prepared for general elections, on the other hand, the need for reforms to ensure the transparency of elections is always under consideration by the government. After the reforms of the Election Act 2017, the outcome of the 2018 general elections has raised questions about the independence and authority of the Election Commission. The failure of the result transmission system RTS has also raised concerns about the transparency of the free and fair election.
The controversy on the electronic voting machines and the voting right of overseas Pakistanis continued in both PTI and PDM governments. The PTI government passed the Elections Second Amendment Bill, 2021, granting the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis and providing for use of electronic voting machines in the elections. The Election Commission ECP also showed concern about the implementation of electronic voting machines and overseas Pakistanis to vote at the national level in the general elections of 2023.
After the vote of no confidence, the new government of PDM on May 26 Passed Elections (Amendment) Bill 2022 in National Assembly with two crucial amendments to the election rules. The legislation of 2022 aims to conduct pilot projects in local by-elections before using i-voting and EVMs in the next general elections., which reversed the election laws by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. The debate on the issue of i-voting for overseas Pakistanis and the use of EVM in general elections at the national level is the converging point between the arguments of the PTI and PDM governments.
The use of technology of EVM and i-voting both comes with its pros and cons. The technology solutions also come with certain limitations and manipulations. Although according to PTI the use of EVM and i-voting will solve the problem of overseas Pakistanis and transparency in elections. But the concerns of the PDM parties can also not be taken lightly. The manipulation of elections by external forces has been common in Pakistan. We should not blindly follow the herd without working; the implementation of new technology in the election at the national level will leave the results at peril. The failure of RTS also questions the ability of server capacity in the case of EVM and i-voting implementation. The government should work on the substitute options available to solve the issue of technology use and i-voting.
According to the estimates given by Election Commission Pakistan ECP, the elections would cost approximately Rs. 47.41 billion — around Rs.15 billion for ensuring security alone. The feeble economy of Pakistan has to spend billions of rupees for the elections under such circumstances of high inflation where people are vulnerable to poverty but we are unable to ensure the honor of the vote. The expenditure spent on the election itself is unable to enable transparent free and fair elections.
The transparent free and fair election has always been compromised in some way or other, and its status remained only to the extent of its slogan. All the political parties remain in jeopardy of the results of the elections. The blame game of election rigging has become the common argument of contestants.
The independent and powerful autonomous Election Commission will pave a way for transparent elections and will provide credibility for a vote. The representation in National Assembly should be by the vote of the people and for the people not for external interests, it can only be realized by the power of structural reforms in the institution. At the end of the day, we require efficient reforms in the authority and independent Election Commission ECP to ensure the credibility of vote.
