The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to submit report pertaining to reasons behind non-compliance with its directions for devising a voting mechanism for Overseas Pakistanis.
A 3-judge bench led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar issued the notices to the ECP and NADRA in response to pleas filed by Chairman Welfare Society for Overseas Pakistani Rights (WSOPR), Barrister Dawood Ghaznavi along with other 35 overseas Pakistanis residing in 14 different countries, seeking the court's directives to the respondents for devising a voting mechanism for Overseas Pakistanis.
It is pertinent to mention that in the year 2014 the apex court ruled that overseas Pakistanis have right to vote in the elections in accordance with the constitutional provisions. According to the Article 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the federal government has to extend the facility of voting to overseas Pakistanis in the election of the National Assembly and local bodies, and such right cannot be denied on technical grounds, ie logistical arrangements made outside the country for casting their votes.
During the course of proceedings, Barrister Dawood Ghaznavi apprised the bench that during the year of 2014, Parliamentary Committee for Electoral Reform was constituted for electoral reforms. He said that the committee constituted a sub-committee for devising mechanism for overseas voting under the Chairmanship of PTI parliamentarian Dr Arif Alvi.
He said that the committee met for 65 times but failed to devise any voting mechanism for overseas voting, adding that a Draft Election Bill 2017 tabled on 20th December 2016, mentioned no voting mechanism for overseas Pakistanis. Seeking report from ECP and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in the matter, the court adjourned hearing of the case for date in office.