The Performance of the Election Commission of Pakistan

Citizens’ Periodic Reports on the Performance of State Institutions

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Publication No: ER-075

Rs 3,000  

Under the, ‘Democracy and Governance Programme’ PILDAT has initiated to publish a series of, Citizens’ Periodic Reports on the Performance of State Institutions. Within this project, PILDAT has undertaken an assessment of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the state institution that prepares and conducts elections for the National and Provincial Assemblies, the President of Pakistan, and Local Governments in Pakistan. The role and function of the ECP as a democratic institution cannot be undermined, especially in a country such as Pakistan where the process of democratization has not been a smooth one. Free and fair elections are the hallmark of any democracy, thus, an institution like the ECP is crucial to the advancement of democracy. However, in recent years, the ECP has been heavily criticized for alleged oversight and mismanagement in carrying out its functions as the premier authority for conducting General Elections in Pakistan. We believe that it is crucial to bring the ECP into public discourse in order to debate its performance and identify what can be done to improve its performance. The purpose of this report is to highlight areas of strength, while identifying potential areas that need to be addressed so that the ECP can conduct elections in Pakistan in a more free, fair, and efficient manner. Mr. Hasan Muhammad, a former Secretary of the ECP, has authored the Citizens’ Report on the Performance of the Election Commission of Pakistan. This report intends to make an independent assessment on the performance of the ECP, in particular, during the past two years, from July 01, 2012 to June 30, 2014. This two-year period includes most important election activity: the General Election of 2013.

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