LAHORE: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) disclosed on Saturday that it had not been able to verify the thumb impressions of more than 93,000 votes polled in the constituency of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq because of “poor quality of fingerprints”.

A report submitted to the Lahore election tribunal also pinpointed various irregularities and casting of bogus votes in the May 2013 elections in NA-122.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which recently celebrated the tribunal’s verdict for a re-poll in NA-125 after de-seating Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, termed the new report “a vindication of its position on rigging”.

The PML-N’s reaction was not different from that on the earlier decision, saying rigging had not been established in NA-122.

Mr Sadiq had got 92,393 votes, defeating PTI chief Imran Khan by over 8,000 votes. The constituency is one of the four where the PTI had been since long calling for an audit to verify its allegation of rigging in the last general election. The other three are NA-110 (Sialkot), NA-125 (Lah­ore) and NA-154 (Lodhran).

According to the report, “there were 93,852 used counterfoils which Nadra could not process through its Automated Finger­print Identification System (AFIS) because of poor quality of fingerprints of the voters affixed on them. However, CNIC numbers mentioned on such counterfoils having poor quality thumb impressions were valid CNICs. A total of only 73,478 votes were authenticated by the AFIS”.

“There were 48,401 (votes) where Nadra could process the fingerprints on both electoral rolls and corresponding counterfoils. All of these matched, while others could not be processed due to the poor quality of fingerprints on counterfoils and electoral roll or because of unavailability of electoral roll,” it said.

Nadra also pinpointed casting of bogus votes. “There were 6,123 counterfoils having invalid CNIC, never issued by Nadra. Another 2,862 used counterfoils couldn’t be checked through CNIC database due to mistake in writing down the CNIC number and 3,440 used counterfoils were found where the CNIC number as written was illegible due to bad handwriting, torn edges etc.”

There were 370 votes which did not have CNIC numbers mentioned. “Some 1,715 used counterfoils (votes) were found without fingerprints. There were 255 CNIC numbers that were mentioned on counterfoils twice. A total 51 votes failed authentication which means someone else voted against the CNIC number mentioned on the used counterfoil. There were 570 voters who voted in NA-122 but were not registered in the constituency.”

The PTI chairman tweeted: “More than 73,000 votes verified by Nadra have established discrepancies, proved massive rigging thus calling into question entire result of NA-122. Other discrepancies pointed out in the Nadra report include duplicate votes, out of constituency votes, counterfoils without thumbprints, etc. Some 15,000 fake votes have been established by Nadra from the less than 40 per cent verifiable votes cast.”

He further said: “Of these less than 40 per cent verifiable votes there are glaring discrepancies. Our position on rigging again has been vindicated with Nadra report on NA-122.”

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said the Nadra report had mentioned “no rigging committed in NA-122 in general election 2013”.

He said: “The PTI leaders are misleading the people. The PTI should better read Nadra’s report carefully. Out of 18,000, only 500 votes, including duplicates, were found invalid, while counterfoil issues were procedural irregularities.”

Mr Rashid said thumb impressions of 73,478 voters with “good quality ink” were visible and verified with valid CNICs.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2015

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