Govt announces to amend law for use of EVMs in General Elections-2023

Despite reservations of the opposition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government Wednesday announced to amend the law for using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general elections.

This was announced by Prime Minister’s Adviser on parliamentary affairs Babar Awan and Special Assistant on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill in a joint press conference in Islamabad, 24News HD TV channel reported.

Babar Awan said that there was no need for a constitutional amendment for the usage of EVM in elections and the government would amend the law this year as it had a majority in the parliament.

The advisor clarified his government’s position for introducing the machine interfering in the domain of the Election Commission of Pakistan said that the model of the EVM was not made by the government but by the national institutions.

He said that after the amendment in the law, the next general elections scheduled in 2023 would be conducted through the EVMS.

About the vote sale and purchase issue, the adviser said it was the job of the Election Commission to stop such kind of practice in the Senate elections.

Babar urged all the political parties especially the opposition to join hands with the government to end the noise of rigging in Pakistan.

The advisor to PM said denying giving the right to vote to the overseas Pakistani was contempt of court and the opposition parties were opposing this.

Gill expressed confidence that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used in the next general elections to ensure free, fair and transparent polls in the country. He urged the opposition to evaluate the EVMs themselves instead of protesting against the initiatives so that their apprehensions could be addressed.

While regretting the attitude of Marryam Safdar, Gill said the court awarded seven-ten and one year's sentences to Marryam, Nawaz Sharif and Capt (R) Safdar respectively in corruption cases. The courts did not suspend their sentence in the corruption cases and they were out on bails, he added.

He said Shahbaz Sharif openly sought NRO concession yesterday by proposing setting up a national government.

However, the SAPM categorically said that No NRO would be given to the corrupt leaderships at any cost although they were using EVMs for bargaining. He said EVMs would also be utilized during press clubs, bars, clubs elections. He said media persons would be invited in the next few days for giving a practical demonstration about EVMs.

On this occasion, Shahbaz Gill suggested the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif resign as his party spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb had termed his statement a personal opinion.

Reporter: Awais Kiyani