ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has fretted over the delay in implementing the key electoral reforms pertaining to introducing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and extending the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, it emerged on Sunday.
According to a source, PM Imran is annoyed by the delay in introducing EVMs, which will play a pivotal role in extending the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis. In this regard, the premier has directed Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan to give definite timelines and update him regularly on the progress on the issues to introduce EVMs.
The source said that the adviser to the PM, while presenting the weekly update to the federal cabinet on introducing EVMs and the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis, has informed that section 94 and section 103 of the Election Amendment Bill was in the Ministry of Law for vetting, and it would be done within two days.
Thereafter, the draft ordinance would be placed before the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) and the stand-alone machine had been selected, whose prototype has been prepared by the National Telecommunication & Radio Corporation (NRTC).
It is relevant to note here that President Arif Alvi on Saturday had promulgated the Election (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which allowed voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the election process.
According to the ordinance issued by the president, changes were made to section 94 (1) and section 103 of the Election Act 2017. This second set of changes to the bill will help in ensuring that overseas Pakistanis vote during the next general polls.
The source said that the cabinet was apprised that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has given a requirement of 800,000 EVMs, at a cost of approximately Rs200,000/EVM for the imported machines. In the case of the selection of a locally manufactured machine, the price would be half of the imported one and the same would result in savings of approximately Rs160 billion.
It is also learned from sources that cabinet members were worried over the heavy cost of imported EVMs besides expressing their concerns over the Ministry of Information Technology, on the advice of the PM, had earlier appointed a consultant for obtaining modern technology, its security, design and other affairs besides audit of National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) system through a filter and voting through the internet.
For this, the finance ministry had released Rs300 million in funds. Moreover, the consultant has started work on the design, security of EVMs. They said after solving the technical and legal issues related to the electronic voting system, EVMs will be purchased in line with the report of the consultant.
So far, several meetings of a sub-committee of the cabinet had been held under the president for voting through the internet facility, said the source.
It is pertinent to mention here that in a bid to introduce a modern electronic voting system in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier directed the ministry of finance to arrange funds for purchasing EVMs within the next six months.
The PM also directed the minister for science and technology and adviser on parliamentary affairs to consult the ECP to remove hurdles in this regard and submit a report within one month.
Similarly, PM also directed his adviser on parliamentary affairs to consult the National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman and clear legal hurdles regarding introducing the electronic voting system in the country and necessary amendment in the laws.
