Web Desk
Pakistan’s President Dr Arif Alvi has promulgated an ordinance to grant voting right to the overseas Pakistanis, and to allow the use of electronic voting machine (EVM) in general elections.
Through Second Election (Amendment) Ordinance, the president amended the sections 94 (1) and 103 of Election Act 2017.
“The Commission shall with technical assistance of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) or any other Authority and Agency shall enable overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote during general elections in their country of residence,” says the amended section 94 (1) of the Election Act.
According to the amended section 103, the Election Commission would be responsible for procurement of the electronic voting machine for use in general election.
Earlier, the law had allowed extending voting right, use of electronic voting and biometric verification machine as pilot project in bye-election which would now be used for general elections too.
The amendments in the ordinance pertaining to the voting rights of the overseas Pakistanis and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) was approved by the federal cabinet on May 04.
A cabinet meeting was presided by PM Imran Khan in which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been authorized to use EVM, revealed Fawad Chaudhary at a press conference in the capital Islamabad.
The minister further elaborated that the government has appointed a consultant to finalize matters pertaining to the technological aspects such as the biometric and e-voting systems.
About 9 million Pakistanis live abroad . Of these, some 5 million have been working in the Middle Eastern countries.
