FAFEN proposes three-stage methodology to audit 2024 election results

ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has proposed a three-stage methodology for the audit of election results 2024 amid allegations of rigging, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to a press statement issued today, the non-government poll observer urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to scrutinise the results of constituencies that have been duly challenged by political parties and candidates at the appropriate legal fora using data analytics and forensics to establish the “legitimacy of the outcome of General Election 2024”.

“Such an audit must include representatives nominated by the political parties concerned as well as independent observers to ensure the transparency and credibility of the process,” the statement added.

“FAFEN has been advocating since 2013 for the Election Commission to conduct scrutiny of results of all constituencies before the notification of winners in an effort to strengthen the integrity of election outcomes and to minimize the post-election disputes that linger on in election tribunals beyond legally stipulated deadlines,” it stated.

The watchdog noted that post-election situation warrants an urgent and prompt response by the Election Commission to ascertain the veracity of the claims of illegalities and irregularities by political parties and candidates, and as a prerequisite to establish that the GE-2024 results truly reflect the will of the people.

“Fafen’s proposed audit is a technical investigation that is purely based on the physical evidence i.e. official election documentation available with the election commission under Section 99 of the Elections Act, 2017,” it read.

These documents include: tamper-evident bags containing (a) the packets containing the ballot papers each of which shall be sealed with the seal of the presiding officer or, if opened by the returning officer, with the seal of the returning officer; (b) the packets containing the counterfoils of issued ballot papers; (c) the packets containing the marked copies of the electoral rolls used in the poll; (d) the packets containing the Ballot Paper Account; (e) the packets containing results of the count, provisional and final consolidated statement of results of the count and final consolidated results; (f) the packets containing the Tendered Ballot Papers included in the count; the Tendered Ballot Papers excluded from the count; the Tendered Votes List, and the Challenged Ballot Papers included in the count; the Challenged Ballot Papers excluded from the count; the Challenged Votes List; and the Spoilt Ballot Papers; and (g) such other papers as the commission may direct.

The proposed audit methodology comprises the following three stages:

• The first stage involves assessing the availability, authentication, completeness and correctness of the election documentation including the result forms, and the consistency of information within and amongst these forms.
• The second stage involves ascertainment of material effect of unverified forms on election outcome and taking corrective action.
• The third stage involves determination of the omission and commission and accountability of election officials.

“For the conduct of election, the ECP performs its duties through its staff as well as with the support of the human resources taken from the executive and judiciary. The extensive logistical undertaking involved in conducting general elections for both federal and provincial assemblies requires the deployment of hundreds of thousands of officials seconded by the federal and provincial governments. For GE-2024, nearly 1.5 million election and polling officials were appointed. These officials managed the election operations including the counting, tabulation, and consolidation of results, which has led to controversies and disputes,” the statement said.

The election process entails an exhaustive list of forms to be maintained to document every step of the process including the results. This documentation establishes an entire trail of the results to refer to in case of any controversy. However, these forms are never referred to after their preparation, save in case of an election petition that also remain undecided in many cases for several years.

Since most challenges to election results revolve around Form-45 and their subsequent consolidation, FAFEN urges the ECP to also clarify the legality of multiple copies of the forms that are generated on the Election Day.

FAFEN has also called upon the Election Commission to encourage the political parties and candidates to promptly reach out to it with their complaints of illegalities and violations of the Elections Act, 2017.