As the poor in Pakistan continue to bet their lives for a free sack of atta at distribution centres and others watch nervously as institutions crackle under the weight of political polarisation, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) can’t possibly defer its preparations for the ultimate duty — conducting general elections at a five years interval, due later this year.

Besides legal and political hitches, the gaps in the availability of resources required for the massive country-wide exercise must be adding to ECP’s woes going forward.

The ECP did not share the details of past election budgets or the upcoming 2023 elections, though the Chief Election Commissioner and senior members of his team were approached.

The ECP spokesperson Quratul Ain Fatima promised to provide the required data and comments, but the response was awaited till the filing of this report.

However, sources in the know of affairs in the Ministry of Finance shared some startling facts. According to the information cross-checked, the federal government cleared a special grant of Rs47 billion for Elections 2023 earlier but declined the ECP request for an additional supplementary grant of Rs15bn.

If accepted, it would have brought the projected spending by the commission during the current election cycle to Rs62bn. The Ministry of Finance cited financial constraints compounded by the government’s flood relief efforts and the census exercise as key reasons for the refusal.

In 2008, the government spent Rs22 per voter but it is expected to spend Rs385-508 per voter in 2023

Over the past 15 years, the election budget has shot through the roof. Against Rs22 that the government spent per voter in 2008 when there were 81 million registered voters, it will spend something between Rs385 and Rs508 per voter in 2023 on 122m registered voters, depending on the total amount sanctioned finally (Rs47.8bn or the demanded Rs62bn).

According to details based on published media reports and gleaned from interviews in the relevant circles, the election budget of ECP was Rs1.8bn in 2008. It increased to Rs4.7bn in 2013 and to Rs21bn in 2018. Simple back-of-the-envelop calculations (dividing the spend by the number of voters) show per voter cost of Rs58 in 2013, which multiplied to Rs198 in 2013.

Though the actual breakup of the election spending was not shared, a senior source involved said besides printing of election-related material and logistics such as transport, food for returning officers, etc, a sizeable chunk is set aside for the security of the election exercise.

Talking about the election cost, he said months of work goes into expenditure assessment before putting a price tag on an election. “The number circulated as the total price of an election is not a figment of anyone’s imagination,” he said.

“There are a set of uniform formulas applied and rates for articles and services pre-determined that are used by districts, divisions, cities and provinces to project demand. These demands are scrutinised first at the ECP offices in provinces and later at the federal level.

Some services and election material such as security and ballot papers, etc, are provided by the centre others are catered to by the ECP offices at the provincial level,“ he elaborated.

Talking about the extraordinary hike in the projected election budget in 2023, a senior officer defended the commission. “Who knew about the wholesale exit of members from national and provincial assemblies when the cost was budgeted last year, necessitating so many bi-elections? It upset the earlier projections of election spending of the ECP.”

A former federal secretary commenting on the huge escalation in the cost from Rs1.8bn in 2008 to the projected Rs62bn price tag for 2023 elections blamed the galloping inflation.

“Look at the price of naan (roti) over the past 15 years. In 2008 it cost Rs2; today, a smaller nan is priced at Rs25. I am not surprised at the election budget hike, especially keeping the security situation in the country and heightened political temperature in sight.”

Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president/CEO of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat), urged the ECP to publish details of its finances on the website.

“The practice is important to ensure transparency in the affairs of this key institution. Besides, it will build the public trust and support for the body and pressurise the government to duly facilitate the ECP to deliver on its mandate”.

An independent expert expressed surprise over the absence of relevant studies and research on the subject of election finances in the country where there is such a heated ongoing public debate on justice, corruption and elite capture.

“Only ECP can explain the reason for being secretive about its own election budget. Before the commission succeeds in enforcing financial discipline in political parties and candidates, it must open its own books for public scrutiny and share its audited account reports on the website for easy access to anyone interested.

Zahid Islam, an affiliate of the Free and Faire Election Network (Fafen) said the chief election commissioner has declared its financial records confidential.

The writer can be reached at asubohi@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, April 3rd, 2023