PML-N and PTI at it again
The Election Commission suffers from several deficiencies, some inbuilt in the law, others self-created. For a long time the Commission functioned without rules of business and ‘laid-down procedure’ detailing distribution of powers between the Chief Election Commissioner and four members of the Commission. There has also been interference in its work from the High Courts forcing the Commission to appeal to the SC. The lack of enthusiasm in the government for electoral reforms continues to create problems for which the ECP has no solution. The fabulous amounts of money the candidates have to spend for getting electoral complaints redressed is fast turning the elections into an exercise only fit for the super rich. The Commission has been criticised by media and civil society for inefficaciousness which stops it from taking action on violation of rules. While the two candidates in NA-122 by-election spent huge amount of money, much above the legal limits, the Commission simply looked the other way.
First Imran Khan and now Sardar Ayaz Sadiq have come out against the ECP. In between Khursheed Shah too expressed lack of confidence in the Commission. The Speaker has objected to sending Aleem Khan’s petition to the Election Tribunal without hearing him. While many would agree that none should be penalised without being heard, had Sadiq put forth his point without adding animus to it, this would not have weakened his argument.
Aleem Khan’s petition claimed fresh evidence has emerged about rigging which avowedly led to his defeat. He claimed that at least 30,000 votes had been cancelled and shifted from the NA-122 constituency before the by-poll which amounted to pre-poll rigging. The ECP has sent the petition to the Election Tribunal. As per law the tribunals are the forum where electoral complaints are to be settled. It appears that after a costly election campaign the two candidates are going to indulge in equally costly litigation. Unless electoral reforms are taken seriously, there is going to be no end to such complaints.
