Electronic voting machine bill delayed, will govt succeed in electoral reforms?

Open elections have become a very important issue in Pakistan. Concerns about the electoral system have been raised for the last 70 years, but when it comes to the use of technology, political parties start opposing.

The present government is working for electronic voting machines and electoral reforms for transparent elections in the country but is facing strong resistance from opposition parties and allies and despite a joint sitting of Parliament today, the government has postponed the bill for the electronic voting machines. Questions are being raised about the government getting success in electoral reforms?

Electronic voting machine

The Ministry of Science and Technology has also tested all the electronic voting machines after their development. The EVM has special features as per the instructions of the Election Commission. The EVM can be activated for two days with the help of a battery. The general election will require 400,000 electronic voting machines. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) can operate at minus 10 to 55 degrees Celsius. Ballot papers will be included along with the electronic voting record. 

Prime Minister of Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that electronic voting machines will stop rigging in elections. Production of corrupt system Opposition parties are against change but we will bring change. Free, fair, and open elections are the basis of democracy. Opposition to EVM by the Election Commission and the Opposition is unwarranted.

Leader of the Opposition

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif has termed the electronic voting machine as the worst evil machine.

Speaking at a joint sitting of the parliament, Shahbaz Sharif said that the last time a joint sitting was announced at 10 pm, it was postponed. Shahbaz Sharif said that the government and its allies want to demolish the bills.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while announcing to go to court on the approval of electoral reforms, said that if controversial legislation was passed, they would not accept the next election from today and fully stood by the Election Commission.

“The government wants to pass the bill by force, how can it be that the vote is cast from California and came out of Sibi, you are robbing the people’s vote from the joint meeting,” he said by adding, “The government’s malicious attempt to give NRO to Kulbhushan Yadav, the burden of PTIMF is being borne by the common man. We will go to court against the electronic voting machine.”

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the convener of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan), an ally of the PTI government, said that the electronic voting machine was not made by the Ministry of Information Technology but by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Concerning the electronic voting machine, there is a fear that whoever owns this machine will also have the ability to tamper with it, ie there is a clear possibility of fraud. Government Ministers

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that electronic voting machine is not being used for rigging but to bury evil desires. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that EVM, Overseas Pakistanis’ voting law would strengthen democracy in the country.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashida Hamad said that the prime minister was bringing EVM machine for the country and democracy and not for himself.

Election Commission

The Election Commission of Pakistan had raised 37 objections to the electronic voting machine. The commission warned in a document that the machine could be tampered with and its software could be easily changed. There can be no free, fair, and credible elections.

Electronic voting machine bill late

In a joint sitting of Parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Babar Awan requested for postponement of the bill for the electronic voting machine. Speaking in the House, Babar Awan said that the bill related to opposition electronic voting machines should be postponed. Advisor for Parliamentary Affairs. At the request of the Speaker, the National Assembly postponed the bill for electronic voting machines.

Will the government succeed in electoral reform?

The PTI government is facing serious difficulties in enacting legislation regarding electronic voting machines and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and the bill was postponed once again today.

In such a situation, the question is, if there is no legislation in the House, how will the problem of fraud be solved? The opposition and other relevant bodies should come up with effective legislation as well as a consensus on relevant measures to ensure transparent elections in the country so that allegations of electoral fraud in the country can be stopped.