ECP wants PM Imran to consider reservations on electoral reforms bill

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday formally conveyed its reservations on electoral reforms planned by the incumbent government through an amendment bill in Senate, ARY NEWS reported.

According to a letter conveyed to the Parliamentary Affairs ministry, the ECP has asked them to bring the election body’s reservations into the notice of Prime Minister Imran Khan before tabling the bill in the Senate.

Sources in the government shared that the letter bearing the date of June 17 was leaked to the media before being received by them and its content has also been published two days back.

As per details, the ECP said that the proposed law- the Elections (Amendment) Act 2020- carries an amendment seeking voting through an open ballot which was against Article 226 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

“The ECP has already given its point of view in this regard during a presidential reference on the open ballot in the Supreme Court,” the letter said and added that the power of the ECP could be curtailed in case of implementation of the law.

The matter should be raised with Prime Minister Imran Khan before tabling the electoral reforms bill in the Senate, it said.

Yesterday, Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that the government has made its intent clear on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the bill pertaining to it will sail through the National Assembly and Senate.

Babar Awan said that they have already given the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) authority to hold elections using the EVMs. “We have introduced a bill on EVMs in the National Assembly and Senate,” he said adding that opposition has been conveyed that the bill could not be withdrawn.