Getting rid of ballet box a right stepTransparency has never been a high point in Pakistan's electoral history. This has been an unfortunate element of its national existence and the country has suffered many a time on this count. It is against this backdrop that one must acknowledge and appreciate the Election Commission of Pakistan's decision to introduce electronic voting machines in the next general election. Getting rid of the ballot box is indeed the right step forward, said the Dawn in an editorial published Tuesday. Excerpts: As envisaged in the plan, a pilot project will test the system during the next election for the local bodies. Feedback thus accumulated from all stakeholders will help fine-tune the mechanism for election day. Along with error-free computerized electoral rolls, prepared with the help of the NADRA database, the route adopted by the ECP towards minimizing, if not eliminating altogether, the menace of rigging appears to be in line with global and regional trends. Those who argue against its efficacy in a country with a debatable literacy rate would do well to remember that in this particular case, raising public awareness about the procedure is the key; literacy is not. If the Indian example is anything to go by, effective media campaigns can, and do, break such barriers quite easily. Besides, the cost factor may also raise a few eyebrows, especially in a struggling economy. Potential benefits, however, make any cost worth the exercise. __
