Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court on Wednesday turned down a request for inclusion of a ‘none of the above’ option on ballot papers to be used in the upcoming general election.
The judge observed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had made all arrangements and it would be too late to issue directives seeking the inclusion of the NOTA option.
The hearing of the petition was adjourned till September when the court would direct the election authority to make provisions for inclusion of the NOTA option in ballot papers for the 2023 general election.
Petitioner Wasim Rana has submitted that voters should be given an option to declare that they (voters) do not want to vote for any of the contenders listed on the ballot paper. Petitioner’s counsel Sheraz Zaka has argued that inclusion of NOTA option would enhance the scope of political expression and further the public’s confidence in the democratic process. He said that having a choice to opt for the NOTA option on the ballot paper was a fundamental right of the citizens, keeping in consideration the article 19-A of the Constituion (freedom of expression), adding that it would help increase voters’ turn out in elections.
Published in Daily Times, June 21st 2018.
