ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct a thorough investigation into the delays and deficiencies observed during the 2024 General Elections. The PILDAT issued an assessment of the 2024 General Election and made several recommendations to the ECP. It suggested to the ECP that tribunals should be allowed to resolve elections related matters on a case-by-case basis.
Pildat Recommends Probe into Election-related Matters
According to the report, the overall fairness score for the 2024 election stands at 49%, marking a three-percentage-point decline from the 2018 General Election. Furthermore, PILDAT has also underscored the urgent need for transparency throughout the electoral process to address these problems effectively. The PILDAT also demanded that a Commission of Enquiry be constituted similar to the one set up to investigate the 2013 election.
The report said that the fairness score for the 2024 General Election plummeted to 49%, the pre-poll phase has stagnated at a 50%. It added that there has been no progress in result management since 2018, with the score remaining at 40%.
PILDAT in its recommendations said that transparency and accountability are crucial to restore public confidence in the electoral process. Despite effective communication from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) leading up to polling day, there has been a noticeable slowdown in addressing key issues post-election.
The PILDAT strongly recommend that the ECP conducts a thorough and impartial investigation into several critical areas:
- Delays in transmitting, consolidating, and announcing provisional results,
- Lack of contingency planning to meet result issuance deadlines in case of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) inoperability,
- Failure to publish signed copies of forms 45, 46, 48, and 49 within the mandated 14 days of polling day as per the Elections Act, 2017.
Furthermore, to resolve the controversies surrounding the 2024 General Election, the PILDAT propose two possible avenues: Firstly, allowing Election Tribunals to resolve disputes on a case-by-case basis. However, the current situation indicates a significant delay in resolving petitions due to insufficient tribunal numbers.
The PILDAT also demanded to increase in the number of Election Tribunals to ensure timely resolution within the legal deadline of 180 days.
Secondly, in addition to Election Tribunals, consider the formation of a Commission of Inquiry similar to the one established after the 2013 General Election. The incoming National Assembly and the Senate should deliberate on this matter to ensure accountability, transparency, and political stability.
The challenges faced during the 2024 election cycle highlight the urgent need for transparency and accountability to address systemic shortcomings and safeguard the integrity of future electoral processes.
