ISLAMABAD: Headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja, a high-level delegation comprising Provincial Election Commissioner (Punjab) Mr. Aijaz Anwar Chohan, Director General (IT) Mr. Muhammad Khizer Aziz and Director Mr. Nadeem Zubair visited Brazil to examine and carry out feasibility study of electoral processes using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
It should be mentioned here that many of the countries were using EVMS partially in the electoral process whereas Brazil and India are using EVMs nationwide. The electoral process of Brazil was considered as one of the best and technologically most advanced in the world.
Therefore, the ECP decided to visit Brazil and hold meetings with top officials of TSE (Brazilian Election Commission). A number of meetings were held in three days with various heads of wings of Election Management Body of Brazil i.e Tribunal Superior Electoral (TSE). These meetings were held with Secretary of Communication & Multimedia, Secretary Information Technology, Head of Identification Management, who gave detailed briefings on their electoral processes and Brazilian Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
The demonstration of the EVM was also conducted. The major topics which were discussed include ‘Initiatives for strengthening the social confidence on the electoral processes’, “Introduction to the Brazilian EVM”, “Identification System being used in polling process”, and ”Special Advisory for fighting Disinformation”.
Finally, an important meeting was held between the Chief Election Commission of Pakistan Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja and the Chief Justice of Superior Court of Brazil /President Tribunal Superior Electoral (TSE) Mr. Alexender de Moraes on various vital topics including use of EVM.
The Election Commission will further study the electoral system of Brazil in the context of EVM for use as pilot projects in Pakistan. To carry out this important task, the Information Technology Wing and Project Management Unit of ECP will jointly work on it as a way forward.
