Cellular network coverage: ECP attributes poll result delays to suspension

ISLAMABAD: Remaining under fire from public and political circles as well as international stakeholders over allegedly massive rigging in the recent general polls, the electoral body has rejected these allegations — linking the delay in the poll results issuance to the suspension of cellular network coverage on the elections day.

“The Election Commission rejected altogether the allegations of rigging — but there is no denying that an incident or two have taken place — for the redressal of which, relevant forums are functional,” the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Monday.

The ECP claimed that the results of the general elections 2018 were completed in three days, whereas this time they were completed in “a day-and-a-half except a few constituencies.”

PPP approaches CJP against mobile phone, internet disruptions

The ECP said the transmission of results by the presiding officers to returning officers required cellular connectivity, and the suspension of cell phone services due to security reasons caused delay in the results’ issuance.

The ECP was scheduled to issue the results of the general polls on Thursday night, few hours after the polling concluded at 5 pm, the same day. However, following the breaking down of the poll body’s much-hyped Election Management System (EMS), the poll results issuance saw continued delay.

Conspicuously, the candidates backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were leading the poll charts with heavy margins against their respective electoral rivals in different constituencies across the country when the EMS suddenly broke down. Several hours later, when the EMS was restored, these candidates lost the polls, as per the ECP’s results.

The electoral entity linked the delay in election results to the unavailability of mobile and internet services. But, the Commission failed to explain the reasons behind the sudden collapse of the EMS.

Earlier, Thursday, the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja had told the media that the blockade of cellular and internet services would not affect results transmission through EMS.

Like Thursday, the scenario involving the election results saw high drama on Friday too.

In the early hours of Friday, the ECP issued a statement stating that the CEC directed the provincial election commissioners and ROs to issue the election results “within half-an-hour,” otherwise, strict action would be taken against them — which never happened.

The alleged tampering in the election results also raised serious questions on the general elections’ credibility.

Furthermore, the CEC having left the ECP headquarters late-night on Thursday on a “private” visit without his official security and protocol, fuelled speculations that the CEC met some “powerful” individuals against the backdrop of EMS breakdown, and that the election results became “more controversial” after this development.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman is among the general poll winners who have forfeited their respective seats, alleging that the poll results were rigged in their favour and against PTI-backed candidates.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024