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JI announces electoral reforms package

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami while announcing a 15-point electoral reforms package here on Friday, has urged the government to bring about changes in the system in the light of this agenda, and announce a final date for general elections.

The package was approved by JI Majlis-e-Shoora in its recently held meeting. It demands holding of elections on the basis of proportional representation and establishment of a permanent and authoritative election commission. It demands that the members of this commission should be taken from the judiciary after necessary legislation.

Preparation of computerised electoral rolls in the light of new census in which identity card number of the voter should also be registered and age-limit should be lowered to 18 years has also been proposed.

It calls for doubling the seats of Muslim members in the National Assembly and implementation of clause 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

It also demands for curtailing the term of the National Assembly to four years, giving right of vote to overseas and imprisoned Pakistanis, and right of forming political parties to the people of tribal areas.

The package proposes to the political parties to draft their manifestos in conformity with the Constitution of Pakistan, fixation of education limit and giving the right to every voter to check the nomination paper of any candidate or to challenge his eligibility.

It also calls for holding polling for both National and Provincial assemblies on the same day, giving chance to head of every party to present his party's stance and manifesto on electronic media, putting ban on display of banners, flags, staging rallies and using big vehicles during election campaign, and restoring separate election system for minorities.

It demanded of the government to declare that every general election will be held under the supervision of Judiciary.