ISLAMABAD: The Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) ruling against the appointment of a returning officer has alarmed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which has stated that “it is becoming difficult” for the electoral body to conduct polls, according to sources cited by The News on Thursday.
Concerns were raised during the ECP meeting on Wednesday, and it was agreed to challenge the PHC judgment suspending Irfanullah’s appointment as RO for PK-91 Kohat-II to the Supreme Court.
The News was informed by sources that the ECP deliberated over the issue and asked the commission’s specialists for their legal advice before making the decision.
The PHC order has left the particular constituency theoretically without a returning officer, as was mentioned in the meeting. The sources alluded to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s meeting at its secretariat upon receipt of the provincial high court judgment and stated, “Under these conditions, conducting elections is becoming difficult for the commission.”
They emphasized that the Election Commission is required by Article 218 to conduct the elections in a free, fair, and transparent manner, and that all government institutions must assist and collaborate with it in fulfilling this vital national obligation.
According to sources, the commission held a second, in-depth meeting to consider the PHC’s Tuesday decision to issue Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf a “bat” as an election.
After considering the situation, the Election Commission agreed to convene again on Thursday, or today, before making a judgment regarding the PHC directive.
ECP is happy with the IT system.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, said that all IT and operational systems were functioning as intended and that there were no challenges or roadblocks preventing it from carrying out the general election in 2024 as planned.
Election results would be transmitted and compiled from presiding officers to returning officers via an automated and contemporary election management system (EMS), according to the commission. This preparation was finished, and the automated system had undergone multiple tests.
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It was observed that returning officers encountered certain challenges when forwarding the lists of nominated candidates to the Election Commission, provincial election commissioner, regional election commissioner, and district election commissioner in isolated areas where problems with internet connectivity were reported.
The ECP made it clear that the EMS would only be used on election day and that its primary function was to assemble the transmission and tabulation of election results. However, it is false and insensitive to claim that the EMS has failed while it is still in the process of being operationalized.
“The use of EMS has completely pleased the ECP. Additionally, fiber optic facilities are being made available to every RO, and as a backup, Wi-Fi devices may be carried by the ROs. It is also made clear that using the internet is not required in order to tabulate findings,” it stated.
