Ball in ECP, judiciary’s court as parliament passes electoral reforms bill

The PTI-led government had managed to pass 33 bills, including the electoral reforms bill, yesterday in the joint parliament session. After the development, overseas Pakistanis get the right to vote and electronic voting machines will be used in next general elections.

The parliament has done its job. Now its is a real test for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make preparations in 20 months for the transparent use of electronic voting machines. The ECP will have to set a modus operandi how the overseas Pakistani will cast their votes online.

On the other hand, the courts will have huge responsibility to decide the petitions to be filed by the opposition to challenge the electoral reforms bill.

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On Wednesday, the opposition parties had announced to challenge the electoral reforms bill in the court.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari opposing the electronic voting machine (EVM) bill had said that he would challenge the bill in court.

“I do not accept the election reforms. We stand with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP),” Bilawal said while expressing his views in the joint session of the parliament.

He said that as long as the Election Commission of Pakistan has reservations over the electronic voting machines, we will oppose the bill. The ECP has already rejected this EVM, raising 37 objections on it. The government is making the next election controversial from today, the PPP chairman said.

Bilawal said he will challenge the bill in the court. He said attempt is being made to rig the next elections through electronic machines.