The dilemma of polling staff

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has kicked off its preparation for the upcoming general elections and plans to enlist nearly one million individuals to fill essential roles for the elections. According to preliminary estimates, there will be approximately 700,000 polling staff members, and the count may increase to around 1 million together with security personnel likely to be deputed on election duty inside the polling station.

The countrywide polls for the National Assembly and Provincial legislatures is a gigantic task during which over 8 crore voters cast votes to thousands of candidates across the nation usually on the same day, that makes this process more troublesome and laborious. The Election Commission had always felt handicapped before and during the electoral process while it faced massive criticism from the political groups as well as the common public for alleged incidents of poll rigging, belt box tempering, and poor polling and security arrangements on the poll-day. It is a recurrent phenomenon, this episode repeats each time and the losing candidates/groups blatantly accuse the ECP for misconduct without any proof/ evidence. As practice in vogue, the ECP takes assistance from the federal and provincial governments, Pakistan military, judiciary and several other departments to smoothly and safely steer through this crucial period. The ECP’s staff is not more than a few hundreds people which usually occupies federal, provincial and district headquarters whereas the rest of the staff for polling duties including Presiding and Assistant Presiding officers are attached from the education department, judiciary, and local/ provincial governments. The Pakistan Army, Rangers and Police police provide security inside the polling stations and outside the avenue.

Hence, the borrowed polling staff from various organizations had always been the problem creator because no institutions took guarantee regarding their fair conduct, professionalism and sincerity toward their national duty. A large number of borrowed staff owes political affiliation with various parties and they practically play on behalf of their party’s candidate while compromising their ego and self respect. Such behavior not only defames the ECP but disputes the entire electoral process. With due apology, the ECP is requested to frame strict regulations and timebound activities for the polling staff along with setting stern and immediate penalties to avoid chances of poll rigging. So, no incident of communication misinterpretation, bus breakdown, train delay or route detracking due to heavy fog ever happens in the future.