National interest vs. Party interest
There can be no two opinions about gross irregularities having been committed in the 2013 elections. A commission appointed to open and examine the bags in NA-125 had observed that “each polling bag of entire constituency is in the condition of such a mess that it can be said to be a trash and rubbish for reasons best known to the polling personnel.” Missing from a number of bags was the voters’ list and the record of invalid votes. The observations by the SC while rejecting the appeal of PTI’s Usman Dar are therefore spot-on. The court observed that there are big flaws in the electoral system. The candidate, however, cannot be held responsible if the institution fails to fulfill its responsibilities.
One of the reasons for the mismanagement of the 2013 elections was the choice of the CEC. Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim was no doubt a thoroughly honest man but he was unable to act efficiently and exercise necessary oversight on account of old age. The remarks should be an eye-opener for the present Election Commission and its Chairman. To avert the controversy about magnetic ink, biometric voting machines need to be procured much before the election and thoroughly tested. The electoral staff has to be properly trained and the complaint about lack of storage capacity in the EC redressed to ensure that the election record is kept in safe custody.
The PTI has been most vociferous in making complaints about irregularities in the elections. One had expected that it would be equally efficient in proposing recommendations to remove the loopholes. This has failed to happen, strengthening a perception that instead of helping to improve the system, the party relies on agitation alone. A parliamentary committee was appointed in July 2014 to suggest changes in the electoral system and given three months to complete its task. There is no word from the committee despite the lapse of 26 months. This shows the lack of concern in political parties about of the issue.