Action Against Multiple Vote Casters: EC

The Election Commission of Pakistan this Monday announced that it has decided to take strict action against those individuals who are found guilty of casting more than one vote in the May 2013 elections. The Election Commission further approved the registration of eleven new political parties.

In this regard, the Election Commission has sought data of the constituencies whose record had been verified by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra). Additional Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Syed Sher Afgan said that those found guilty of casting more than one vote would be dealt under criminal laws and would be punishable up to three years in jail. About this duplicate voting, Afgan said, ““The commission will determine if that comes under impersonation which in itself comes under corrupt practices” The commission has also approved the registrations of 11 new political parties taking the tally of registered parties to 281. The ECP has further more also rejected a petition, filed by an independent candidate from Multan's NA 151 constituency, seeking the cancelation of the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
The petitioner had claimed that the JI had collected funds for charity which were later used in the election campaign of the party. The election commission rejected the petition citing a lack of credible evidence to prove the claims.