What would count as valid or invalid vote: clarified by ECP

News Analysis |

Pakistan is to hold 2018 General Elections tomorrow to elect lawmakers for the National and Provincial assemblies. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sent a letter to all presiding officers across the country to clarify them that what would count as a valid or invalid vote.

The former Prime Minister, now a convicted criminal, Nawaz Sharif also criticized the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and blamed him for the pre-poll rigging.

The ECP, in its instructions, said that a ballot paper will be termed invalid if:

• It’s missing the official code mark or assistant presiding officer’s signature
• It’s missing the ECP’s watermark
• It’s missing the official nine-matrix seal
• It has a paper or anything else attached to it
• It has stamps on more than one candidate’s election symbols
• It appears equally in more than one candidates’ boxes

Moreover, a stamp which appears in multiple boxes but a prominent portion of which is in favor of a particular candidate will be counted as a valid vote, read the letter.

Read more: Islamabad high Court allows ECP to pursue campaign case against Imran…

ECP’s Code of Conduct

The ECP has recently issued a list which may be termed as ‘ECP’s code of conduct’. The list addresses voters, candidates, and officers on duty.

According to the notification, anyone found involved in the following acts will be treated as having violated the ECP’s code of conduct and to be prosecuted against under the law:

1. Evicting a voter from the polling station.
2. Any direct or indirect attempt to influence a voter in connection with his or her decision to cast or to not cast a vote, either through giving a gift, making an offer or promise will be considered bribery.
3. Using force or violence to coerce someone into casting or not casting a vote.
4. Intimidation, inflicting harm or threatening someone with the anger or approval of a religious person.
5. Abducting a voter, intimidating, duping or influencing him or her through illegal means.
6. Spoiling ballot paper or the official stamp.
7. Taking ballot papers from a polling station or inserting fake ballot papers in the ballot box.
8. Providing a ballot paper to someone without permission, lifting ballot papers or boxes, breaking the seal on a ballot box, disturbing polling staffers, affecting the polling process with the help of a government official, any attempt to cast a fake vote, or cast multiple votes.
9. Showing or possessing firearms during polling process, torturing officials, creating disruptions near a polling station to disturb voters, attempts to affect the working of a presiding officer or other staffers, and convincing a voter to vote for a particular candidate within 400 meters of a polling station.
10. Pasting a notice, electoral sign or flag within a 100-meter radius of a polling station, or within the special area allotted to election agents.
11. Attempting to know for whom a voter has cast his or her vote.
12. Attempting to take a picture of your vote/ballot paper.

A District Returning Officer will have the authority to sentence offenders to up to three years in jail, or Rs100, 000 in fines, or both.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sent a letter to all presiding officers across the country to clarify them that what would count as a valid or invalid vote.

ECP’s efforts to conduct ‘free and fair elections’

The ECP has issued these directions to ensure free, fair and transparent general election on July 25 (tomorrow). But despite the efforts being made by the ECP, there are some political groups and media houses which are certain to make the upcoming polls controversial. The controversy generates by the politicians and media persons will help these political groups challenge the legitimacy of the government after July 25. The former Prime Minister, now a convicted criminal, Nawaz Sharif also criticized the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and blamed him for the pre-poll rigging. “Everyone should be given an equal chance to contest elections. This is pre-poll rigging. No one will accept the results of these elections,” said Nawaz Sharif. “We don’t see free and fair elections taking place in Pakistan,” said a PML-N senator.

Read more: Rigging in plain sight – should the ECP do more

The caretaker set-up is making all possible efforts to ensure their “impartiality and neutrality” during the electoral process. But some parties have their own narratives, interests, and way to follow. Pakistan’s general elections are a test for the caretakers and public to ensure a smooth transfer of power.