ECP sends 'stern' reply to NADRA on I-Voting

In a stern reply to the National Database and Registration Authority on internet voting, the Election Commission of Pakistan reminded NADRA that it cannot dictate a constitutional body.

NADRA wrote to the ECP on August 20 and September 6 regarding the use of internet voting for overseas Pakistan in the upcoming general election, to which the Commission responded on September 13.

In its letter, NADRA wrote that the “ECP should consider progressing positively on NADRA’s proposed system at the earliest, otherwise there might be unwanted and uncalled for delays.”

Referring to these lines, the Commission said it was “dismayed” at the general tone and tenor of NADRA’s letter, as per the document seen by Geo.tv, adding that the language used gave the impression that the ECP is a subordinate body of NADRA, which is trying to dictate a constitutional body.

It further added that the ECP will discharge its obligations as per Article 218 (3) of the constitution.

“The responsibility and execution of any new technology is the primary responsibility of the ECP, provided the technology is implementable and practical in the given timeframe,” it wrote.

The Commission also inquired why NADRA wants to engage ECP in a new contract for I-Voting, which will cost Rs2.4 billion, when the existing system for internet voting is already in the field.

“NADRA must first inform the ECP of the fate of the previous project,” it insisted, asking why NADRA wanted to abandon the previous system and on what grounds since Rs. 66,500,000 had already been spent on it.

“Why should the ECP go for a new contract amounting to Rs2.4 billion if the existing system has loopholes?’ it asked “Who is responsible? Has NADRA fixed responsibility?”