News
Sunday, May 23, 2010
ECP sets 15 strategic goals for 2014* Aims at increasing voter turnout to 63%
* Decides to reform legal framework to improve management of polling processBy Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission (EC) has set 15 strategic goals to be achieved by 2014, ranging from increasing voter turnout from 44 percent (2008 elections) to 63 percent in 2013 to reforming legislation on political finance regarding political parties and candidates, strengthening financial accountability and enforcement mechanism.
The targets are part of the five-year strategic plan (2010-2014) that is likely to bring about positive changes in the overall election process. Under the plan, the EC has decided to revise and reform legal framework to improve management of the polling process by December this year.
The commission will improve the existing computerised electoral rolls system by next month, as it has already struck an agreement with NADRA in this regard. It will also help the government introduce legislation on the mandatory condition of providing a CNIC for a voter’s registration.
The EC will also be revising electoral rolls annually in January every year. It will also start establishing database for polling staff to facilitate future hiring for electoral events by December this year. It will also start exploring to devise a system for CCTV monitoring of sensitive polling stations by June next year.
The EC will also complete the process of delimitation of constituencies for national and provincial assemblies by December 2012, as the next general elections will be held in 2013. The commission, under the five-year plan, has also decided that financial statements of parliamentarians and political parties would be published on the commission’s website by October this year.
As far as voters’ registration and electoral rolls are concerned, it seems logical that the National Database Registration Authority’s database will have to be linked with the electoral rolls – which will carry voters’ photographs – to limit the possibility of fake identities to cast vote, the EC maintained.
The EC is considering a proposal that the delimitation would not be changed for 10 years. It is also considering improving the resolution system of complaints and the EC should be able to resolve election disputes instead of forwarding them to tribunals.
The EC is also unanimous in banning election-related meals offered to voters by candidates contesting the elections and recommends polling staff should not be provided with accommodation, food and transportation.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk