Election 2024: Election Management System flaws Pointed out by two ROs

ISLAMABAD / LARKANA: Election Management System (EMS) flaws have been identified by two election officials. EMS will be used to gather and compile the results of the general elections scheduled for February 8.

The system will be used by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which declared the EMS nationwide test run to be “a success.”

In nearly identical letters to their superiors, Abdul Qadir Mashori, the Qambar assistant commissioner (AC) and RO for National Assembly seat NA-197 (Qambar-Shahdadkot-II), and Usman Khaskheli, the Bakrani AC and RO for PS-12 (Larkana-III) seat of Sindh Assembly, expressed concerns about the EMS.

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The letter from Mr. Mashori was sent on February 3 to the district returning officer of Qambar-Shahdadkot and surfaced on Sunday. Upon being contacted, Mr. Mashori stated that the problems he had raised had been fixed and that he had followed up with a letter to that effect.

It has been verified by sources that Mr. Khaskheli also sent a letter to the Larkana DRO. Despite numerous attempts to reach him on his mobile phone, the official could not be reached for his version.

Mr. Mashori claimed in his letter that information about the tasks given to poll workers was uploaded to the EMS but was then “found missing.”

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“This systemic weakness has led to numerous problems and casts doubt on the validity and dependability of the software.” The official voiced concern that someone was either “controlling” the system or it was a “complete failure.”

The RO claimed that the reservations over the system have been “verbally conveyed” to the ECP and Nadra officials, but these complaints have not been rectified, with both bodies citing a “technical glitch” causing the issues.