The transparency score in the general elections was the lowest compared to the last two elections, PLDAT review report continues
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PLDAT) has released a review report on the 2024 general elections, according to which the transparency score in the 2024 general elections was the lowest compared to the previous two elections. Puldat has said in its report that the overall transparency score in the general elections was 49 percent, which is 3 percentage points less than the score obtained in the 2018 general elections. It should be noted that the transparency assessment scores in the 2013 and 2018 general elections were 57 and 52 percent respectively. According to PLDAT, the continuous decline in these scores since 2013 is a sign of the weakening of the democratic process in Pakistan and the people’s participation in the electoral system. In order to address these issues, the report recommends increasing transparency and accountability measures throughout the electoral process. In addition, PLDAP called on the Election Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into the delays and irregularities during the 2024 general elections, particularly with regard to the compilation, transmission and collation of results. The report further stated that It appears that since 2018, there has been no effective progress in the management of results compilation and the score has remained stagnant at 40 percent, which highlights a critical need for inquiry into the Election Management System (EMS) operation. The report said that during the pre-polling phase, considerable delay in the election schedule, political repression, lack of impartiality on the part of the caretaker government, provincial governments and state institutions and deteriorating law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were observed. According to the report, the suspension of mobile phone and internet services on the day of polling not only compromised the election management system but also created difficulties for public participation in the election process. Later, the delay in the declaration of provisional results beyond the time stipulated in Section 13(3) of the Elections Act, 2017 raised serious questions on the credibility of the elections, with widespread discrepancies between Form-45 and Form-47. The allegations have also raised concerns about the credibility of the elections. According to the PLDAT report, there was a delay in the publication of Forms 45, 46, 48 and 49 on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s website, Section 95 of the Elections Act 2017 (10). The violation has further damaged the credibility of the election, the allotment of reserved seats to the Sunni Union Council became a major controversy for 25 days from the day of polling, when all other political parties were allotted reserved seats.