CNICs condition to deprive many people of right to vote
* New lists to be ready by end of July, number of voters to be lower than previous one
ISLAMABAD: The electoral lists being prepared by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters for failing to possess new computerised identity cards, Daily Times learnt through reliable sources here on Thursday.
The ECP condition of new computerised identity cards has already deprived a number of people of registration on the voters list, sources said.
The ECP staff is preparing the lists based on forms filled by eligible voters. According to sources, the voters’ lists will be published on May 26, and its copies will be displayed at prominent places in all districts for the general public.
“The ECP will give 21 days to the people to view the lists and record corrections or to enter their names in it. For this purpose the ECP will empower the civil judges in every district to rectify the mistakes or enter new names,” sources said, adding that it would help record the names of those voters issued new cards by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
The lists will be ready by the end of July but the number of voters will be lower than the previous list, sources said. When asked what would happen if snap polls were announced before completion of the new computerised list, sources said, “The ECP has the old list and the same will be used for elections.”
Sources also said that the US was helping the ECP prepare for elections by providing training and funds. “A UNDP sub-office has also been established on the premises of the ECP, which is cooperating with us for the next elections,” they said. Sources said the ECP would procure transparent ballot boxes to be used for the first time in the next elections with the financial help of the West. There is little possibility of employing voting and counting machines as the public is not trained for such advanced technologies, sources said.
Source: Daily Times
Date:3/23/2007
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