With the Elections (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the government expects the ECP to make long-term arrangements on the basis of a short-term law.
Why is that unlikely to happen?
Thread:
Why is that unlikely to happen?
Thread:
Sources say that the government’s election ordinance seems to be just “an eyewash”, adding that the ruling party did not table the ECP’s reports on electronic and internet voting in the parliament in the past three years.
And now the PTI has brought an ordinance, when there are no upcoming elections to test EVMs and I-Voting before the 2023 polls.
Polls are scheduled in AJK in August, but election officials in AJK have already opted out of being used as an experiment.
Polls are scheduled in AJK in August, but election officials in AJK have already opted out of being used as an experiment.
On Feb 8, the government has promised ECP to place the e- and i-voting reports in the parliament within one month.
It did not. Instead an ordinance was promulgated.
It did not. Instead an ordinance was promulgated.
The timings of the ordinance is even more bizarre since the Ministry of IT has been tasked to conduct a third-party audit of I-Voting and the Ministry of Science has been asked to prepare a model of an EVM
Both reports are due on May 31.
Still, an ordinance was issued on May 8
Both reports are due on May 31.
Still, an ordinance was issued on May 8
Even if the ECP was to start procuring EVMs now, just the machines could cost upward to Rs. 52 billion.
Sources say the government is insisting on procurement, but has yet to allot it a budget.
Sources say the government is insisting on procurement, but has yet to allot it a budget.
It has also failed to provide any way forward on how online voting can be held in a secure manner.
Also, sources say that in countries where electronic voting is conducted the elections are held in a phased-manner.
Will all the political parties agree to a general election held over days rather than on a single day?
This is why a consensus in the parliament is necessary.
Will all the political parties agree to a general election held over days rather than on a single day?
This is why a consensus in the parliament is necessary.
For now the ECP has called an urgent meeting post-Eid to respond to the ordinance. But its position has till now been clear: For e- and i-voting to be introduced all political parties must agree on it.
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