Senate passes amendments to election laws

ISLAMABAD – The Senate passed on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill to amend election laws to ensure security of the database of electoral rolls and make exhibition of CNIC mandatory for casting votes.
After the amendment in ‘Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2011’, which will come into force at once, a new section 30A (after Section 30, Act XXI of 1974) would be inserted into the constitution whereby any employee of the Election Commission of Pakistan, if found guilty of breaching security, integrity of the information or data contained in the electoral rolls of the Election Commission or passing such information to any other person unwarrantedly, shall be punishable with imprisonment up to five years that may also include fine up to Rs 5 million.
Meanwhile, the production of computerised national identity card issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has also been made mandatory for casting ballot by a voter through the amendment in Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act (LXXXV) 1976. It has been stated in the bill that after the amendments, the election process would be more transparent and credible, bringing the provisions in conformity with 18th Amendment and eliminating certain discrepancies.
Earlier, participating in the debate on the bill, Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Wasim Sajjad criticised the government, saying the government could not claim transparent and fair elections as it had failed to constitute the Election Commission of Pakistan. He further added that that the objectives of the bill could not be materialised unless a fair process for registration was adopted.
JUI Senator Azam Swati said around 20,000 to 25,000 votes were fake or bogus in each constituency and the government did not have any mechanism to verify and subsequently to delete such votes from the lists. Professor Khurshid Ahmed said it was the duty of the Election Commission to remain ready for holding elections all the time.
“Constitutionally speaking the Prime Minister can call for fresh polls any time and if the Election Commission is not constituted how credible can the election be,” he questioned. Senator Sugra Imam said biometric system was introduced in Pakistan after 2005 and all National Identity Cards issued before 2005 should be subjected to scrutiny to rectify the data of NADRA. Senator Naeem Chattha said casting a vote should be made mandatory.
Concluding the debate later, Law Minister Babar Awan said ECP had not been constituted as opposition parties had not provided their nominations. However, Senate Chairman Farook Naek said it was not the opposition that had to give nominations. He said that the Prime Minister after consultation with the Leader of Opposition would give nominations to the parliamentary committee, which was authorised to finalise the names for the ECP.
Meanwhile, submitting an adjournment motion, Senator Azam Swati said the government was not taking notice of rampant corruption in the Utility Stores Corporation and the issue should be taken up in the House. A number of other senators also raised points of order.
Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani said Punjab Irrigation Department had sold a 40 kilometre track of Pakistan Railways lying between Ahmed Pur Sharqia and Punjnand in violation of rules. Durrani insisted the railways minister must be held answerable for the issue.
Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel said around 15 districts of northern Balochistan were facing acute shortage of electricity and the said districts only received power for an hour a day. Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar said load shedding had been reduced in Balochistan during the last few days as two of the three transmission lines blown up by miscreants had been repaired.
Dr Khalid Somroo said that only five percent rehabilitation work on embankments and roads destroyed by summer floods in Sindh had been completed.