Need for reforms in Elections - Pakistan Observer

THE Supreme Court of Pakistan has come out with a landmark verdict on the electoral process, which, if implemented in letter and in spirit, has the potential to lay foundations of true democracy, genuine representation of the masses at the elected institutions, weed out corruption from the system and promote the cherished objective of good governance. In its judgment Friday in a case of electoral reforms, the apex court ordered the Election Commission to take all necessary steps to make voting compulsory in the country as early as possible.

Excessive and lavish expenditure on election has made it almost impossible for an ordinary or middle class citizen to stand as a candidate in the election not for Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies but also not even for union councils. Apart from corrupt practices of buying and selling of votes, candidates also purchase loyalties and sympathies of voters by luring them through different financial and economic incentives like announcement of donations and launching of different schemes. But most important and relevant is the way the election campaigns are run by arranging processions and public meetings at huge costs, arrangement of transport, establishment of election offices here and there and distribution of posters and banners throughout the constituency. This jacks up election expenditure to alarming extent, which an ordinary citizen cannot even think of and thereby turning the electoral exercise as a farcical contest among well-to-do. It is also understood that a person who invests so much on his elections, will indulge in both legitimate and illegitimate practices to recover the expenditure rather with huge interest. The direction to EC for monitoring of election expenditure from day one is need of the hour but the question arises whether or not the Commission has the necessary infrastructure to carry out the responsibility. There is, therefore, need to strengthen the Election Commission both administratively and financially enabling it to fulfil its legal and constitutional responsibilities in a truly independent manner.

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