ECP says it has removed voters' list anomalies

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) informed the Supreme Court on Monday that as many as 37.1 million fake voters' names have been removed from the system of National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) whereas 36 million new voters registered after proper verification.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing the petition, filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan against bogus votes in the voter lists of 2008 general elections.
Imran Khan contended in the petition that almost 44 percent of the registered voters in the country were bogus, which made the status of present assemblies and the government dubious. Khan also pleaded that the EC be directed to include photographs of voters in electoral rolls in the upcoming elections.
ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan informed the court that voters' authentication would start from July 18 and end on August 16, however, the lists would be completed in December 2011. Giving details of the mechanism of voters' verification, the EC secretary informed the court that a door-to-door drive would be carried out by the Commission after which the list of verified voters would be handed over to Nadra.
Referring to the issue of voter list with picture, the EC Secretary submitted that it has been decided that available photographs would be pasted on the voter list, which would be provided only to the presiding officers due to security reasons. He added that committees had been constituted regarding introduction of electronic voting machines for polling in general elections. The EC secretary informed the bench that the developed countries have introduced this system, adding that India spent as many as 22 years on introducing this system.
Petitioner's counsel Hamid Khan and counsel for one of the respondents, Iftikhar Gilani, also appeared before the court. The bench directed the ECP to resolve the issue in a reasonable time regarding 28 lawmakers - who were declared winners in the bye-elections. Under the 18th Amendment, by-polls could not be held without reconstitution of the ECP.
The court directed that the elected representatives should be given opportunity to give their stance and details of the proceedings must be submitted before the court. The court also directed the ECP to consider the statement of the Attorney General who had earlier made a statement before the court that by-polls were invalid.
During the hearing Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said as to why the Chief Election Commissioner conducted by-polls despite the fact that under the 18th Amendment by-polls could not be held without the reconstitution of the Election Commission. The bench adjourned the hearing sine die.