Procedural irregularities in by-polls witnessed

By Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD: A group of independent election monitors reported seeing heavy police presence and intelligence operatives occasionally "interfering" in the voting process at some polling stations during the by-election in NA-55 on Wednesday.

Police stand guard outside a polling station during a by-election in Rawalpindi.-AFP

In their preliminary report, the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) observers also reported "significant procedural irregularities" and failure of election officials to enforce regulations and laws.




In most of polling stations, security officials were present inside polling stations and booths. Many presiding officers said security officers were present inside the premises without their permission and on the orders of the local administration.




The observers also noticed "intelligence officials entering polling stations and asking questions about the number of votes cast."

Under electoral rules, even at sensitive polling stations, police are only authorised to maintain order outside. They can only enter polling stations or booths when requested by the presiding officer. At some polling stations, security officials accompanied Fafen observers and even supervised their interactions with the officials. At some stations, police officers were assisting election officials in counting and handling election materials.




Over 30 polling stations were set up in privately schools and buildings, which was not in line with the electoral rules.




The observers as well as some mediapersons reported that the election officials under "close supervision of security officers were hesitant particularly in opening the counting process for pubic scrutiny."




At 12 polling stations, ballot books had counterfoils filled before the ballots had been removed, indicating the possibility of "fraudulent votes."

Similarly, the observers reported from 12 polling stations that the number of CNICs of voters as written on the counterfoils of the ballot books did not match with the corresponding entries on the electoral rolls "again raising the possibility that fraudulent voting might have taken place."




At 19 polling stations, dubious thumb impressions marked on counterfoils of ballot books at the same angle with phasing out ink print were observed. In case of genuine voters, each thumb impression is marked in fresh, dark ink and may be at varying angles.




Armed civilians were observed inside eight polling stations. Public representatives and officials were present inside six polling stations.

At one polling station, an unidentified man was acting on behalf of a female presiding officer and was positioned at a place from where he could view voters stamping their ballots.




The workers of almost all the parties were campaigning in violation of election laws that barred the same within 400 yards of polling stations. At 13 stations, campaigning and canvassing was being done inside.




The installation of cameras in polling stations, apparently for security reasons, is a certain case of breach of voters' privacy.

In at least one polling station, a security camera was installed on top of the secrecy screen where voters stamp the ballot.