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RESEARCH/PUBLICATIONS |
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You need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the publications on this site. |
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PROPOSALS FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS |
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August 2010 |
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The CGEP believes that the time to consider and institute required Electoral Reforms in the country is NOW. The elected political government, Parliament and the new administration of the Election Commission of Pakistan are well-aware of the challenges of the existing electoral system. A firm political will and commitment to reform at this stage, with support from citizens and the media, therefore, can enable the country to put in place the Electoral Reforms that can truly provide a level-playing field to all and fulfill the criteria of free, fair and credible elections in Pakistan. The policy brief on the updated proposals on Electoral Reforms by CGEP, therefore, is a sincere contribution to this process at this crucial stage. This Policy Brief, while outlining key proposals for Electoral Reforms by the CGEP takes into account the developments that have occurred in this regard in the shape of 18th Constitutional Amendment as well as the Election of Commission of Pakistan's Five-Year Strategic Plan 2010-2014 unveiled by the ECP on May 25, 2010.
The CGEP, alongside
PILDAT had actively offered recommendations and suggestions to both the
Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms ahead of the finalization
of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the Election Commission of
Pakistan. Alongside sharing the written CGEP Proposals for Electoral
Reforms, CGEP members and the PILDAT had also held detailed interactions
with the two in this regard. This Policy Brief, therefore, notes and
highlights relevant contents of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the
ECP's Five-Year Strategic Plan 2010-2014 as developments and achievements
against the CGEP proposals for Electoral Reforms. |
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PROPOSALS FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS |
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April 2010 |
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This Policy Brief includes proposals regarding computerized Electoral Roll and enrollment as a Voter at the time of making of Computerised National Identification Cards (CNICs) using NADRA's expertise. The Brief contains proposals about placing checks on the office of the President and the Governors from influencing the electoral process. The disclosure and declarations by the candidates should be made public before every election, demands CGEP while offering proposals for an inclusive method of appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the need for changing the eligibility criteria for the post of the CEC. The Election Commission should compose of permanent members, the CGEP proposes while advocating reforms such as live posting of polling stations wise (progressive) voting results on the ECP website; an agreed Code of Conduct by political parties; strict compliance of Laws by the ECP to control Government influence; setting up of a realistic ceiling on maximum election expenses and application of electoral rules and laws on all. The CGEP also proposes a system of appointing Election Observers from amongst public officials by the ECP in every district to ensure compliance of electoral rules and laws and to report back to the ECP in time for action. |
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PROPOSALS FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS |
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March 2010 |
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In one of its key publications, the Group outlined a set of required Electoral Reforms in Pakistan in September 2007 and revised in 2008 after consultation with different stakeholders. This paper was shared with the policymakers of the time, political parties, media and other segments of the civil society. The Electoral Reform proposals have been updated in March 2010.
The CGEP believes that
the time to consider and institute required Electoral Reforms in the country
is now. The elected political government, Parliament and the new
administration of the Election Commission of Pakistan are well-aware of the
challenges of the existing electoral system. A firm political will and
commitment to reform at this stage, with support from citizens and the
media, therefore, can enable the country to put in place the Electoral
Reforms that can truly provide a level-playing field to all and fulfil the
criteria of free, fair and credible elections in Pakistan. The updated
proposals on Electoral Reforms by CGEP, therefore, are our sincere
contribution to this process at this crucial stage. This paper has been
prepared by PILDAT under the project titled Electoral and Parliamentary
Process and Civil Society in Pakistan, in partnership with the East-West
Centre, Hawaii and supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund. |
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STATE OF ELECTORAL ROLLS IN PAKISTAN |
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March 2010 |
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In a democracy, holding of free and fair election depends on the up-to-date and error-free Voters List. According to the Constitution of Pakistan, the Chief Election Commissioner is charged with the crucial responsibility of preparing and making available a correct and complete enrolment of all eligible voters.
In Pakistan, the Election Commission, for the first time in the history of the country, announced to prepare Computerised Electoral Rolls in April 2006 ahead of the General Elections. The process of preparing of fresh Electoral Rolls raised many questions about the manner in which the exercise was undertaken. After the display of draft Electoral Rolls in June 2007, it was estimated that around 28 Million or around 33 % of eligible voters remained unregistered. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, deciding on a petition moved by the PPP Chairperson regarding approximately 28 Million missing voters in the new list, ordered the ECP to include in the new list all those voters who were in the 2002 Voters List but have not been enrolled. The Electoral Rolls used in February 2008 General Elections, therefore, contained approximately 81 Million voters.
It remains the Constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan to update the Electoral Rolls annually. While the next General Election is due by 2013, the Local Government Election is expected to be held during 2010 and it is necessary that the Electoral Rolls in Pakistan are error-free ahead of any elections in Pakistan.
This paper traces the progress on Computerised Electoral
Rolls in Pakistan after February 2008 General Election, note the progress in
removing issues identified in Computerised Electoral Rolls, and the new
round of collaboration between the ECP and the NADRA to produce accurate
Electoral Rolls for future elections. The paper also identifies some key
questions that need to be addressed in order to restore people's faith in
the Electoral Rolls in particular and the electoral process in general. |
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Proposals for Electoral Reforms in Pakistan |
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December 2008 |
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The Citizens Group on Electoral Process - CGEP, a non-partisan group comprising a number of well-known personalities from the media, legal profession, civil society and former members of the superior judiciary and armed forces, etc. was facilitated by PILDAT in December 2006 a year ahead of General Elections in Pakistan in order to regularly monitor and examine the electoral process leading up to General Election. The CGEP worked from December 2007-to post General Elections held in February 2008 to timely identify communicate and offer solutions to rectify issues relating to the electoral processes.
At the time of conclusion of its work and mandate after the February 2008 General Election, CGEP looked further into the regional scenario of elections and decided to prepare and share a revised set of electoral reforms that are contained in this paper. The Revised Electoral Reforms take into account the lessons learnt through a regional dialogue, especially those from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. |
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GENERAL ELECTION 2008
Citizen's Group on Electoral Process |
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November 2008 |
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The Citizens Group on Electoral Process - CGEP, a non-partisan group comprising a number of well-known personalities from the media, legal profession, civil society and former members of the superior judiciary and armed forces, etc. was facilitated by PILDAT in December 2006 a year ahead of General Elections in Pakistan in order to regularly monitor and examine the electoral process leading up to General Election. The CGEP worked from December 2007-to post General Elections held in February 2008 to timely identify communicate and offer solutions to rectify issues relating to the electoral processes. This Report presents an overview of the work of CGEP. |
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HOW INDEPENDENT IS THE ELECTION COMMISSION IN PAKISTAN?
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February 2008 |
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When electoral reforms are discussed in Pakistan, generally, political parties and other stakeholders complain of lack of “powers” and “independence” of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as the key institution constitutionally charged with the responsibility of holding free and fair elections in Pakistan. But, is the Election Commission really powerless in terms of efficient discharge of its responsibilities? What constitutes “independence” and what are the needed “constitutional powers” for the ECP after attaining which the ECP will be able to perform its functions better? How do the powers of the ECP compare with those of the Election Commission of India (ECI), revered within and outside India as an independent and powerful institute?
This background paper, prepared especially for the Citizens Group on Electoral Process - CGEP, looks at the powers and functions of the ECP in an attempt to answer the question: How Independent is the Election Commission in Pakistan? Authored by Mr. Saleem Qazi, Former Former Joint Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan and reviewed by legal input from CGEP, the paper discusses in detail available powers and privileges of the ECP, comparing those with the ECI. The paper concludes it is not the lack of Constitutional powers of the ECP that holds it back, but it is the lack of effective implementation of those powers that makes the ECP suffer from a deficit of trust in the Pakistani society.
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THE CALCULUS OF ELECTORAL POLITICS |
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January 2008 |
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Based on
the electoral analysis of Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, Chairman Gallup
Pakistan and an esteemed member of the Citizens Group on Electoral Process –
CGEP, the paper on The Calculus of Electoral Politics in Pakistan
(1970-2008) analyses the voting patterns across Pakistan during the past 8
nation-wide elections to assess the prospects of Election 2008. |
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A DISPASSIONATE ANALYSIS OF HOW ELECTIONS ARE STOLEN AND |
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January 2008 |
Reflection on the Electoral History of Pakistan (1970-2008)
Background
Paper |
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In view of
the debate surrounding the credibility and fairness of the upcoming General
Elections in early 2008, this paper provides a background of the atmosphere
in which past elections were held in Pakistan. The paper contends that the
past eight General Elections in the country are widely perceived to be
rigged or flawed and emphasizes the need for fair and credible elections
that may lead to the long sought after political stability in the country. |
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FACT FINDING MISSION TO ATTOCK |
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January 2008 |
Report
Background
Paper |
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The
Citizen's Group on Electoral Process - CGEP undertook an Electoral Fact
Finding Mission to District Attock on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. The CGEP
Fact Finding Mission, under the leadership of CGEP Chairman, Justice (Retd.)
Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui, met and interacted with the District Nazim Attock;
the DCO; the DPO; the District Returning Officer; the three Returning
Officers, Candidates for National and Provincial Assembly Constituencies
belonging to the PML-N, PML-Q, PPP, MMA and Independents, the Assistant
Election Commissioner and the local News Media. |
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FACT FINDING MISSION TO GUJRAT AND SIALKOT |
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February 2008 |
Report
Background
Paper |
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The Citizen's Group on Electoral Process - CGEP undertook two Electoral Fact Finding Missions to the Districts of Gujrat and Sialkot on February 7 and February 8, 2008 respectively. At both cities, the CGEP Fact Finding Mission interacted with the contesting candidates from different political parties, the District Administration, the District Returning Officers and the local new media to guage the pre-electoral environment. This report presents CGEP's findings and analysis based on these interactions. |
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FACT FINDING MISSION TO THATTA AND BADIN |
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February 2008 |
Report
Background
Paper |
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The Citizen's Group on Electoral Process - CGEP undertook an Electoral Fact Finding Mission to the Districts of Thatta and Badin on February 12, 2008. At both cities, the CGEP Fact Finding Mission interacted with the contesting candidates from different political parties, the District Administration, the District Returning Officers and the local news media to guage the pre-electoral environment. The report presents CGEP's findings and analysis based on these interactions. |
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SCORE CARD ON PRE-POLL FAIRNESS |
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January 2008 |
Election
to the National and
Background
Paper |
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Citizen's
Group on Electoral Process CGEP has termed the pre-electoral process leading
up to General Election 2008 to be highly unfair. In a CGEP Pre-Election
Assessment Report with a Score Card on Pre-Poll Fairness, the Group, which
has been meeting since December 2006 under the auspices of PILDAT, has
carried out a systematic and continuous review of the Pre-poll electoral
process spanning over a period of around 13 months starting from December
2006 up to December 31, 2007. |
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ELECTIONS 2008 |
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December 2007 |
A Comparative Analysis of Election 2008 Manifestoes of Major Political Parties
Background
Paper |
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The Analysis of Election 2008 Manifestoes of major Political Parties of Pakistan is an attempt to showcase the pledges, promises and policies of the political parties on issues that they feel are important for the Pakistani electorate. The 2008 Election takes place in the backdrop of a dense political, constitutional and security environment with the electorate complaining of ever-increasing inflation and high cost of living. The issues such as the role of the military in politics, independence of the judiciary and the reinstatement of deposed Judges, insurgency in tribal areas, centre-provinces relations, economic uplift of the people, etc., all make part of news headlines in the period of preceding election. This study analyses how the leading political parties of Pakistan that are supposed to have their hands on the pulse of the people, respond to these issues and what policies do they propose for addressing these issues. |
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| NATIONAL RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE - NRO 2007 | ||||||
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November 2007 |
Analysis and the Impact on the General Election
Background
Paper |
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The
National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was issued, amidst a lot of public
hostility against its perceived and reported content, on October 5, 2007.
This background paper has been prepared especially for the benefit of the
members of the Citizens Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) and the public to
provide detailed background and analysis of the National Reconciliation
Ordinance 2007 in order to promote an informed debate in the public domain
on whether or not political parties and the executive are justified in
condoning the alleged excesses and financial embezzlements by political
leaders, former/current Members of Parliament and other individuals. Since
the timing of the NRO coincided with the Presidential Election and the
coming General Election, the paper especially examines its impact on the
Election. |
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A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CGEP-PROPOSED ELECTION CODE OF CONDUCT WITH THE ECP DRAFT ELECTION CODE OF CONDUCT |
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October 2007 |
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The
Citizens Group on Electoral Process - CGEP, facilitated by PILDAT, had
issued a proposed Election Code of Conduct for adoption by Election
Commission of Pakistan, and Political Parties in July 2007. The Group had
urged the ECP and the Political Parties to come together to agree on a set
of rules for elections to provide a level-playing field to all stakeholders
for free and fair |
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PROPOSED ELECTORAL REFORMS |
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September 2007 |
Position
Paper |
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The CGEP Position Paper on Proposed Electoral Reforms presents electoral reform proposals in key areas ranging from appointment of Chief Election Commissioner to suspending of local governments at the time of elections; monitoring and implementing limits on election expenses to advanced public announcement of polling scheme; efficient working of election tribunals to posting of polling-station wise (progressive) results on the Election Commission web site, and appointment of neutral caretaker government by consensus.
CGEP strongly feels that the Government of Pakistan and the Election Commission of Pakistan should adopt, implement and announce the required electoral reforms at this stage. Whereas it is the responsibility of the Government and the ECP to consult all political parties on key reforms, it is equally important from the larger citizens' standpoint that ECP takes steps that not only assert its fairness and independence but provide level-playing field to all in elections. |
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PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION 2007 |
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June 2007 |
Position
Paper |
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The coming Presidential Election has assumed an extraordinary significance in the country. A large number of people believe that the timing and result of the Presidential election will mainly determine the outcome of the General Election. Eligibility of the incumbent to contest the coming Presidential Election while he holds the position of the Chief of Army Staff or after he decides to relinquish that position is one of the key issues surrounding the coming election. Constitutionality and legality of the current assemblies, whose term and mandate is about to expire on dates ranging from November 15, 2007 to December 11, 2007, as the Electoral College for the coming Presidential Election is a subject of intense debate in the country. Many argue, from the point of political morality, that the current assemblies whose mandate is about to expire, can not give fresh mandate to the President.
The CGEP position paper on the Presidential Election 2007 carries analysis of various legal and constitutional aspects with regards to President-Army Chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf seeking election from the current assemblies and concludes that there are serious constitutional issues and anomalies that stand in the way of the incumbent's election from the existing electoral college.
The paper carries in detail the considered view of the Citizens Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) that President-Army Chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf is neither qualified to seek election for another term as President of Pakistan, nor he can seek Presidential election by the current assemblies. It is also the considered view of the CGEP that General Musharraf can not seek election to the office of President (or for that matter any public office) while he is holding the office of profit as Chief of Army Staff. He will be eligible to seek such election when a period of two years has elapsed since he ceases to be the COAS.
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PROPOSED MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT FOR GENERAL ELECTION 2007/2008 |
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June 2007 |
Position
Paper |
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The CGEP Position Paper on Proposed Model Code of Conduct for General Election 2007/08 carries complete text of the proposed Election Code of Conduct prepared and proposed by the Citizens Group on Electoral Process. The Code of Conduct is proposed for adoption by Election Commission of Pakistan, and Political Parties.
The CGEP-proposed Codes of Conduct is
different from earlier election codes of conduct of Pakistan in the
respect that it specifically focuses on the role of the President of
Pakistan, the office that has not been covered by previous codes of
conduct in the country. “A model code of conduct has to provide a
meaningful solution to the specific challenges of the day,” the CGEP
believes. The code also brings into its fold the Local Governments widely
perceived to be the vehicles of election rigging in the previous general
election and proposes that the local government Nazims and Naib Nazims
should be made non-functional with effect from the date of announcing of
election schedule till the finalisation of election results. The code also
devotes a section to the Caretaker Government and proposes that the
caretaker governments should be installed in consultation with the
political parties represented in the Parliament. Another key clause of the
proposed code of conduct lays down the rule that no advertisement, notice
or announcement paid for from public funds shall carry the explicit or
implicit reference, name, designation or photo of any public functionary
or holder of a state or public office to project him/her as the
originator, sponsor, promoter or organiser of any scheme, project,
progress, ideology or vision. The code prohibits a political party to
exceed the amount of fifty million rupees in publishing or broadcasting
its advertisements while it completely bars individual candidates from
advertising on the electronic media and cable networks. The code covers in
detail rules and general guidelines regarding the election campaign and
takes into account various aspects such as holding of rallies, the
responsibility of law and order, use of speakers and the sizes of banners
and hoardings, etc., as well. |
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FRESH ELECTORAL ROLLS IN PAKISTAN |
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June 2007 |
Position
Paper |
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Given the serious nature of the exercise of preparing fresh electoral rolls and its impact on fair elections, the Citizens Group focussed on the issue as early as January 2007 and prepared a working paper after holding a series of discussions with the ECP, the NADRA as well as various other stakeholders. The CGEP Position Paper embodies the earlier research on the issue combined with the research carried out after the display of draft electoral rolls across Pakistan in June 2007.
The position paper provides a background to the issue of fresh electoral rolls as well as examines various key questions regarding the process of preparation and availability of fresh computerised electoral rolls for the coming General Election. These include the inexplicable huge drop in the number of voters; the lack of use of NADRA database for preparing computerised electoral rolls; the ECP’s insistence upon not sharing draft electoral rolls with political parties or to provide those online at its website citing “legal” restrictions; the ECP’s disagreement with the demand to extend the display period from notified 21 days and the cumbersome and complicated process of registration of new voters or the correction/objection process to those already registered, etc.
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Copyright @ CGEP 2007 - 2010 |
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