The National Database and Regulatory Authority (Nadra) is likely to start verification of votes using thumbprints from June 5, an official of the authority told Business Recorder on Wednesday. The official said that the authority could verify more than 500,000 thumbprints a day after its existing system was upgraded.
Nadra will charge Rs 10 for verifying each thumb impression, he said, adding that the authority would submit its reports to the ECP and complaint tribunals after verification was complete. Tender was issued to contractor to purchase software for upgrading the existing system, which is capable of verifying 100,000 votes per day, he said. He said that the tender had been issued under PPRA rules and regulations.
He said that Rs 90 million had been approved by caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso and it was enough for upgrading its system. Referring to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI)'s objections that the authority was charging too much for verifying thumb impressions, he said that Rs 10 was the actual operational charge for vote verification.
Earlier, Chairman of Nadra Tariq Malik said that the Authority needed a system upgrade for verifying thumbprints of voters. However, he assured that it would be able to acquire the required software in two weeks. Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso approved Rs 90 million for Nadra to install the hardware and software required to verify thumb impressions of voters on ballot papers. The ECP instructed Nadra to install the required software and begin the verification process as soon as possible after the approval of required funds.