Islamabad (October 3, 2017): The President Mamnoon Hussain has signed the Electoral Reform Bill 2017 after National Assembly passed it on Monday and the bill has became the part of law.
Key points of the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 are as under:
The bill allows disqualified politicians to hold a public office or to lead a political party. Section 203 of the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 allows every citizen, except for government servants, to form a political party or become its office-bearer.
The bill seeks to augment eight sets of laws governing the electoral process in Pakistan including the Political Parties Order (PPO) 2002.
The bill also proposes electoral reforms including a fine of up to Rs0.1 million for lawmakers or three years in jail if irregularities are found in details of their assets.
Termination of lawmakers’ membership if they fail to submit asset details within 60 days. ECP gets additional powers allowing it to summon services of any institution to investigate irregularities in asset details.
Opposition expressed serious concerns over clause 203 of the Bill 2017 in the National Assembly on Monday.
Clause 203 of the Election Bill 2017 is as under.
1 -Every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a poetical party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party.
2 – Where a person joins a political party, his name shall be entered in the recorded of the political partky as a member and shall be issued a membership card, or any other document showing his membership of the political party.
3 – A person shall not be a member of more than one political party at a time.
4 – A political party shall encourage women to become its members.
5- A member of political party shall have the right of access to the records of the political party, other than the record of another member.
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