Pakistan NA approves bill abolishing use of EVMs in election, disallows overseas Pakistanis from voting
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
June 29, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2022
Pakistan NA approves bill abolishing use of EVMs in election, disallows overseas Pakistanis from voting

South Asia

TBS Report
26 May, 2022, 04:00 pm
Last modified: 26 May, 2022, 04:25 pm

Related News

  • Water crisis threatens food security in Pakistan
  • AL favours, but most parties oppose EVMs in national polls
  • Pakistani Rupee sees recovery against US dollar after news of $2.3B China rollover
  • Pakistan announces $2.3B loan agreement with Chinese consortium, inflows expected 'within days'
  • Progress made in IMF-Pakistan talks on bailout programme -IMF official

Pakistan NA approves bill abolishing use of EVMs in election, disallows overseas Pakistanis from voting

TBS Report
26 May, 2022, 04:00 pm
Last modified: 26 May, 2022, 04:25 pm
Azam Nazeer Tarar presents the Election Amendment Bill in the National Assembly on Thursday. — Photo Courtesy National Assembly of Pakistan/Twitter
Azam Nazeer Tarar presents the Election Amendment Bill in the National Assembly on Thursday. — Photo Courtesy National Assembly of Pakistan/Twitter

The National Assembly of Pakistan passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2022 on Thursday, which seeks to remove the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in general elections as well as disallows overseas Pakistanis from voting.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi presented the bill that was passed with a majority vote. The bill is expected to be sent to the Senate tomorrow, reports DAWN. 

Debate on election bill

Speaking about the legislation, Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said it was of immense significance.

He recalled the previous PTI government had made multiple amendments to the Election Act, 2017, including those the allowed the use of EVMs and granted overseas Pakistanis the right to vote in general elections.

The PTI government had made the amendments through the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021, which it had bulldozed through the NA along with 32 other legislations on 17 November, 2021.

Tarar said the bill presented today sought to revive the Elections Act, 2017 in the shape prior to those amendments, which would ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.

Under the new bill, he said, two amendments were being made to Sections 94 and 103 of the Act, both of which pertain the ECP conducting pilot projects for overseas voting and the use of EVMs.

Under the amendment in Section 94 of the Election Act, 2017, the ECP may conduct pilot projects for voting by overseas Pakistanis in bye-elections to ascertain the technical efficacy, secrecy, security, and financial feasibility of such voting and shall share the results with the government, which shall, within 15 days from the commencement of a session of a House after the receipt of the report, lay the same before both Houses of the Parliament.

Under amendment in Section 103 of the Election Act, 2017, the ECP may conduct pilot projects for the utilization of EVMs and biometric verification system in the bye-election

The law minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan had also raised objections to the use of EVMs but clarified that the government was not against the use of technology.

"We only have concerns about the misuse of technology as the Results Transmission System had failed in last general elections to favour a particular political party," he said.

Earlier, Jamaat-i-Islami's Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali said that the party had opposed the bill during the previous government's tenure. He added that the opinion of the ECP as well as of political parties should be sought with regards to the bill.

"This bill does not mention the powers of the ECP. It would have been better if the commission was further empowered," he said, reiterating that party heads should be summoned to give their opinion on the bill.

Top News / World+Biz

Pakistan / Pakistan election / Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) / EVM

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Bangladesh expects $5.5b from WB, IMF in budget support
    Bangladesh expects $5.5b from WB, IMF in budget support
  • Advance tax hits construction sector hard: Entrepreneurs
    Advance tax hits construction sector hard: Entrepreneurs
  • Representational Image: Collected
    ABB concerned over mandatory tax return submission for SME loans

MOST VIEWED

  • BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Photo: Collected
    Indian man beheaded for supporting Nupur Sharma, 2 held
  • Afghan people walk through the debris of damaged houses after the recent earthquake in Wor Kali village in the Barmal district of Paktika province, Afghanistan, June 25, 2022. Photo: Reuters
    US to provide nearly $55 mln more humanitarian aid for Afghanistan - Blinken
  • Rescue workers and firefighters search for survivors at the site of a collapsed residential building in Mumbai, India on 28 June 2022. Photo: Reuters
    Mumbai building collapse kills at least 19 with more feared trapped
  • Photo: BBC
    Sri Lanka suspends non-essential petrol sales for two weeks
  • Mukesh Ambani steps down as director of Reliance Jio, son Akash takes over
    Mukesh Ambani steps down as director of Reliance Jio, son Akash takes over
  • Photo: TWITTER/@ZOO_BEAR
    Delhi Police seeks 5-day custody of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair

Related News

  • Water crisis threatens food security in Pakistan
  • AL favours, but most parties oppose EVMs in national polls
  • Pakistani Rupee sees recovery against US dollar after news of $2.3B China rollover
  • Pakistan announces $2.3B loan agreement with Chinese consortium, inflows expected 'within days'
  • Progress made in IMF-Pakistan talks on bailout programme -IMF official

Features

Abortion is a part of healthcare. Photo: Bloomberg

Abortion is healthcare and women’s rights are human rights

11h | Panorama
Prashanta Kumar Banerjee. Sketch: TBS

'Public Asset Management Company can be an additional tool to curb bad loans'

13h | Interviews
Aid boats navigate through the different waters of Jamalganj Upazila, giving aid to flood victims.  Photo: Masum Billah

Bandits, hunger and snakes: Flood victims pass sleepless nights

15h | Panorama
Redmi 10C- Best Budget smartphone with one (big) compromise

Redmi 10C- Best Budget smartphone with one (big) compromise

1d | Brands

More Videos from TBS

Why teachers are being humiliated again and again?

Why teachers are being humiliated again and again?

3h | Videos
After Bangabandhu Bridge, will Padma Bridge change economy again?

After Bangabandhu Bridge, will Padma Bridge change economy again?

4h | Videos
 Fuel for non-essential vehicles banned in Sri Lanka

Fuel for non-essential vehicles banned in Sri Lanka

6h | Videos
Christiano Ronaldo to join Chelsea?

Christiano Ronaldo to join Chelsea?

6h | Videos

Most Read

1
Padma Bridge from satellite. Photo: Screengrab
Bangladesh

Padma Bridge from satellite 

2
Photo: TBS
Bangladesh

Motorcycles banned on Padma Bridge 

3
Japan cancels financing Matarbari coal project phase 2
Bangladesh

Japan cancels financing Matarbari coal project phase 2

4
Photo: Courtesy
Corporates

Gree AC being used in all parts of Padma Bridge project

5
Photo: TBS
Infrastructure

Gains from Padma Bridge to cross $10b, hope experts

6
Desco wanted to make a bold statement with their new head office building, a physical entity that would be a corporate icon. Photo: Courtesy
Habitat

Desco head office: When commitment to community and environment inspires architecture

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab
BENEATH THE SURFACE
Workers unload boats and stockpile sacks of paddy at the BOC Ghat paddy market on the bank of the River Meghna in Brahmanbaria’s Ashuganj, the largest paddy market in the eastern part of the country. This century-old market sells paddies worth Tk5-6 crore a day during the peak season. PHOTO: RAJIB DHAR

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net