Feb 8 polls hits lowest fairness score since 2013: PILDAT
The think tank suggests creating an inquiry commission, like the one set up after the 2013 elections.
Feb 8 polls hits lowest fairness score since 2013: PILDAT
The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) released a report about the recent general election. They are worried because the fairness scores have gone down compared to past elections.
The report, made using independent analysis and surveys from different parts of society, points out many problems that have hurt the quality and trustworthiness of the election process.
Pre-poll phase concerns
The report found many worries before the election, like delays in planning it, political oppression, and unfairness from caretaker governments and state organizations. There were also problems with law and order in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
They looked at how fair important groups like the judiciary, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), caretaker governments, media, security forces, and intelligence agencies were. The fairness score for the pre-election phase in the February 8 polls was 50%, the same as 2018 but not as good as the 2013 score of 62%.
Challenges of polling day
On election day, the shutdown of mobile phones and the internet made the Election Management System (EMS) less effective and stopped people from joining the voting. The delay in announcing temporary results past the legal deadline set by the Elections Act, 2017, made people doubt if the election was fair.
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There were many claims that the numbers in Forms-45 and Form-47 didn’t match, which made people worry more. Also, the delay in putting up Forms 45, 46, 48, and 49 on the ECP website went against the Elections Act, 2017, and added to the concerns.
Assessment scores
The assessment of the 2024 general election shows a drop in different stages. The pre-election phase got a score of 50%, the election day process got 58% (less than 2018 but more than 2013), and the post-election phase got a worrying 40%, the lowest ever, similar to the problems seen after the 2002 election.
Overall, this year’s election quality got a score of 49%, below 50% and less than the past two elections (52% for GE-2018 and 57% for GE-2013). This raises big worries about how good the electoral process was.
PILDAT‘s Recommendations
PILDAT suggests that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should thoroughly and fairly investigate the delays in transmitting, consolidating, and announcing temporary results, as well as the lack of backup plans for when the EMS doesn’t work and the failure to publish signed forms on time.
They also say that election tribunals should solve disputes one by one within the legal deadline of 180 days. They’re worried there aren’t enough election tribunals in Punjab and want more to make sure all election issues are solved on time.
PILDAT also recommends creating a special investigation commission, like the one made after the 2013 elections, to look into all the worries raised during the February 8 polls.