EVM use in Punjab LB polls: Disagreements emerge between PTI, PML-Q

LAHORE: A deadlock has emerged between the Punjab government led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition partner in the province, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) over use of electronic voting machines (EVM) during the local bodies elections, ARY NEWS reported.

The reports of the disagreements have been confirmed to ARY NEWS by PML-Q’s Tariq Bashir Cheema, who is also a federal minister, and SACM on Information Hasaan Khawar.

“We are not ready to accept a local bodies system planned by the Punjab government and Prime Minister Imran Khan should intervene to get the matter sorted out,” he said while rejecting that EVM could be used for holding local bodies polls in the province.

He went a step ahead and said that it was an attempt to delay the local bodies elections in the province.

Responding to him, the Punjab government’s spokesman Hasaan Khawar said that PML-Q was their coalition partner and their suggestions are being considered. “There is a need for debate on PML-Q’s suggestions and the process is currently underway,” he said.

He said that an agreement was reached with the PML-Q over the matter previously after which more suggestions were put forward later. “We will address their concerns and will hold talks with them over the issues,” he said.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that the government of Punjab has decided to hold the lower tier of the local government elections on a party basis.

According to sources, Punjab government has decided to further amend the local government law to hold local bodies elections of neighborhood and village councils on party basis. Earlier, the government had decided to hold only the elections of Lord Mayor and Mayor on a party basis.

The government has amended the draft of the local government law after approval from the chief minister of Punjab, government sources said.

Talking to ARY News, provincial local government minister Mehmood ur Rasheed has said that the government was introducing appropriate amendments in the law in the best interest of the general public.

The Punjab government has also decided to reserve seats for differently-abled persons in the new local government (LG) system.