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ECP refuses to take control of NADRA to oversee thumbprint verification
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan of Pakistan has refused to fulfill the government’s request to assume control of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for verification of thumb impressions.
The Interior Ministry had written a letter to the electoral body, requesting it to take the control of NADRA. The government had removed NADRA chairman Tariq Malik over what some media reports said for a decision to carry out the verification process in the different constituencies of Punjab.
However, the government denied such motives behind the removal after the Islamabad High Court barred it from removing the NADRA chairman till further orders.
Sources now say the ECP has in its response to the government’s request said the electoral body was not authorized constitutionally to issue instructions to any other institution with regard to verification of votes through thumb impressions.
It said NADRA’s practice to verify thumbprints was a sort of forensic analysis. Thus, its report into the matter would be considered a forensic report.
The ECP letter further said that since the instructions regarding the verification of thumb impressions were issued by the Election Tribunal, the electoral body didn’t want to become a party in such matters.
Sources further said that the letter written by the government was reviewed at a meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Courtesy www.geo.tv