'It is becoming difficult for ECP to hold elections'

• Decision to move SC taken after legal opinion from experts.
• Following PHC order, constituency is without a RO: ECP. 
• ECP develops modern election management system.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has expressed concerns over the Peshawar High Court (PHC) order against the appointment of a returning officer, noting “it is becoming difficult” for the electoral body to hold polls, The News reported citing sources on Thursday.

The concerns were expressed in the ECP huddle on Wednesday, wherein the electoral decided to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the PHC order suspending the appointment of Irfanullah as RO for PK-91 Kohat-II.

Sources told The News the decision was taken after the ECP discussed threadbare the matter and sought legal opinion from the commission’s experts.

“The meeting noted that following the PHC order, the very constituency is now technically without a returning officer. In these circumstances, it is becoming difficult for the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct elections,” sources said, referring to the commission’s huddle here at its secretariat, after having received the provincial high court order.

They pointed out that under Article 218, it is the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission to conduct the elections in a free, fair and transparent manner and all the government institutions are bound to lend support and cooperation to it in carrying out the extremely important national duty.

Sources said the commission had another detailed meeting that discussed the Tuesday’s order of PHC to grant Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ‘bat’ as an election symbol, suspending its recent order.

The Election Commission reviewed the matter and decided to hold another meeting on Thursday (today) prior to taking a decision in relation to the PHC order.

ECP satisfied over IT system

Meanwhile, the Election Commission stated that all operational and IT systems were working satisfactorily and the commission did not face any obstacles and difficulties in the ongoing phases of conducting the general election 2024.

The commission said it has developed an automated and modern election management system (EMS), which would be used to transmit and compile election results from presiding officers to returning officers. All preparations in this regard were complete and the automated system had been tested several times.

Some additional functions have also been added to the EMS system to assist returning officers so that data could be stored for future use even during the initial stages of elections, the statement pointed out.

It noted that in remote areas, however, where internet connectivity issues were reported, the returning officers had some difficulties in sending the lists of nominated candidates to the Election Commission, provincial election commissioner, regional election commissioner and district election commissioner.

The ECP clarified that the main purpose of the EMS was to compile the transmission and tabulation of election results and the system would be used only on polling day. But to say that the EMS had failed while it has not yet been made operational is fabricated and insensitive.

The EMS did not pose any threat to the transmission and tabulation of election results and the Election Commission is fully satisfied with its preparations for the general election 2024 and the use of election management system in it. The fears and apprehensions in some quarters in this regard are baseless, it said.

“The ECP is totally satisfied with the use of EMS. It is also being ensured that all ROs are provided with fibre optic facilities and Wi-Fi devices may also be with them as an alternative. It is also clarified that to tabulate results, the internet is not necessary,” it said.