ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Tuesday it would conduct March 3 senate polls through secret ballot, though it also established a special monitoring cell at its secretariat to identify any corrupt practices in the elections.
The ECP made the announcement after the country’s top court encouraged it to use technology to make the electoral contest as fair as possible.
Following the apex court’s opinion in response to a presidential reference, the commission constituted a three-member committee to prepare recommendations for the use of technology in the Senate elections.
The committee will finalize its recommendations within four weeks, the ECP said in a statement on Tuesday. 
“The commission also decided that due to time constraint, ensuing Senate elections scheduled for March 3, 2021 will be conducted as provided in the constitution and law as per past practice,” it said. 
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government sought the apex court’s opinion through a presidential reference filed on December 23, 2020, asking if voting in senate polls could be held through open ballot.
After several court proceedings, the Supreme Court said it was the ECP’s job to ensure transparent senate polls. 
The commission said on Tuesday it had taken numerous steps to ensure transparency in Senate elections including publicizing its email addresses and phone numbers and requesting the general public and all relevant institutions to register complaints in case of any malpractice in the polls. 
The electoral body said it had established a vigilance committee, a complaint management system and a special monitoring cell to curb any corrupt practices in the polls. 
The chief election commissioner also held a meeting with heads of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to seek their suggestions in how to hold fair and free elections. 
The commission directed all relevant agencies and organizations to remain vigilant and inform the election commission for early legal action in case of any illegality in the polls. 
Lawmakers in the national and provincial assemblies constitute the electoral college and vote for 48 Senators. Each member of the Upper House of Parliament is elected for a six-year term. Half of the senate members retire after every three years and new ones are elected. The house has equal representation from all four provinces. 
Political and legal experts said the election commission should use its authority to restore public trust in the transparency of the senate and general elections. 
“Secret voting in senate elections gives legislators an option to decide as per their conscience, instead of just casting their votes in favor of their party candidates,” Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), told Arab News. 
He said that political leadership should focus on introducing democracy within their parties and make decisions through consultation instead of forcing decisions on their members. 
“If the parties select candidates through a democratic process, the issue of corruption in Senate elections will die down to a large extent,” he said. 
Barrister Saad Rasool, an expert on election laws, said transparency in the polls could not be ensured unless the election commission takes action against those who violate the campaign finance laws. 
“We cannot achieve true democracy in Pakistan if we continue to allow wealthy and influential candidates to trample the election finance laws,” he told Arab News. “It is the responsibility of the election commission to provide a level playing field to all contesting candidates.”