[DAWN] The Election Commission of Pakistain (ECP) announced Tuesday it will conduct by-election in Haripur's NA-19 constituency using biometric machines in a test run on 30 selected polling stations.Good idea for Pakistain, but we could never do that here. It would... ummm... suppress the minority vote.
Somehow.
According to the ECP, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistain Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Ufone will render technical assistance in this regard.
The launch of the test project is in line with the desire of political parties, which was conveyed through the Electoral Reforms Committee of Pakistain (ERCP).
The ERCP recommended that by-election be conducted through biometric machines to educate the general public about its use in electoral activity.
"Since the whole exercise would be performed purely on an experimental basis, the impact of the use of biometric machines in the by-election would certainly not disturb the electoral process in the constituency," the ECP said.
The ECP has already taken all contesting candidates on board and briefed them comprehensively about the measure, sharing with them the list of selected polling stations where the technology will be used, the objectives of the pilot project and standard operating procedures of using biometric machines.
All contesting candidates have welcomed the use of biometric machines as an experiment and have also expressed their consent in this regard, resolving to extend complete support to the ECP by sensitising their polling agents and educating voters on the lam about the use of such machinery.