ECP regrets tone adopted by NADRA chairman over i-voting system

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has regretted the tone adopted by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman Tariq Malik in a recent letter penned regarding progress on the i-voting system.

Recently, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik had written a letter to the country’s supreme electoral body, asking it to make progress on the proposed system regarding the i-voting system.

The ECP, responding to the chairman NADRA via a letter, stated that it is the responsibility of the ECP to work on the new electoral system, but the tone adopted in the letter by NADRA is regrettable.

“The letter gave the impression like ECP is a subordinate of NADRA,” the letter reads and added that the language of NADRA chairman showed as he is giving orders to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The ECP asked, why NADRA is looking for a new agreement of Rs.2.4 billion for the i-voting project. Why NADRA left the earlier project initiated for i-voting in the country in between even after spending Rs65.5 million?

If the system was having flaws, were the responsible identified, the ECP asked.

Last week, Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan had said that the federal government will ensure the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and i-voting in the elections at any cost.