ISLAMABAD – The Senate Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday passed the Election Laws Amendment Bill 2011 with a few amendments. On Tuesday, the committee could not reach consensus over some clauses of the bill as Senator Raza Rabbani had opposed the formation of local commission, fearing, new body could be used for changing election results.
The committee amended some clauses and deleted the controversial clause for the formation of local commission to probe the controversial polls. According to bill passed, the production of National Identity Card issued by NADRA is mandatory to cast vote. Another clause of the bill barred the employees of the ECP for sharing personal information of voters, gathered for the purpose of electoral rolls. The bill proposed an imprisonment up-to five years or a fine of five million rupees for violation of the clause pertaining to voters’ personal information record.
The committee met at Parliament House with Senator Kazim Khan in the chair and was attended by Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Nayyer Hussain Bokhari and Election Commission Secretary, Ishtiak Ahmed.
