ISLAMABAD: As many as six per cent polling agents and staff at 5,258 polling stations were found stamping ballot papers on behalf of the voters in the local government (LG) elections held in Punjab and Sindh on Thursday.

This was revealed in a report released by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) on Friday.

Human rights activist Sarwar Bari released the report at a press conference at the National Press Club. The team of observers was headed by Mudassar Rizvi.

Fafen says 5,706 irregularities were noted at 1,581 polling stations in Punjab and 2,181 in 527 polling stations in Sindh

Mr Bari said under the rules, polling staff cannot stamp the ballot papers.

“According to the rules, even a visually impaired person has to get a special permission to get their ballot papers stamped by someone else,” he said.

As many as 845 and 493 observes were, respectively, deputed in Punjab and Sindh to observe the election process at 5,258 polling stations. Moreover, 12 media houses also monitored the polls and 90 call centres were established to contact the observers. At least two calls were made to each of the observers.

In Punjab, 5,706 irregularities were noted at 1,581 polling stations while in Sindh 2,181 irregularities were detected in 527 polling stations. In Punjab, eight per cent polling agents and staff stamped the ballots on behalf of the voters. In Sindh, this percentage was four.

It was observed that 29 per cent camps of candidates were set up within 200 metres of the polling stations in Sindh and in Punjab it was 31.5 per cent.

As for as the facilitation of the observers to monitor the electoral activity was concerned, the ECP streamlined the process of accreditation in consultation with civil society organisations a few days before the polling. However, the implementation remained weak.

District returning officers in Badin, Dadu, Naushahroferoz and Attock either completely or partially denied the ECP’s instructions for the accreditation of the observers.

Ironically, presiding officers at less than a third (30.5 per cent) of the observed polling stations reported that any representative of ECP or the returning officer had visited through the day for monitoring the quality of the polling process.

Mudassar Rizvi said training of the staff had been improved as compared to the previous elections.

“Police should have removed the camps of candidates set up within 200 metres of the polling stations. We sent 47 observers to Dadu but the local administration issued accreditation cards to only five.”

Polling schemes (number of booths) were given to the presiding officers just a day before or it was not given to them at all due to which they faced problems, he said.

Sarwar Bari said ECP’s grip at the district level had weakened. For 2005 local government elections, accreditation cards were issued without any hurdle.

“Most of the data about the elections is not available on the website of the ECP. It should be made available,” he added.

Fafen recommended that the ECP should make polling schemes public as soon as possible. No change in the polling schemes should be allowed. The ECP should reconcile polling schemes with the electoral rolls. It should also provide details of contesting candidates for all seats and should establish a committee to investigate allegations of irregularities.

Independent monitoring should be encouraged. Security forces should receive clear instructions to stay outside the polling stations and special measures should be taken to create a conducive environment for women voting.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2015