ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition has announced to challenge the recent legislation by the joint session of Parliament including EVMs and others.
Shahbaz Sharif flanked by the PPP chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, speaking to media outside Parliament, said legislation was bulldozed today and the National Assembly speaker had “trampled” Parliamentary traditions.
“Legislation cannot take place in such an atmosphere […] the Opposition’s votes counted were far fewer than their actual numbers,” the PML-N president said.
Shahbaz said the Opposition told the speaker that the government’s votes were not enough to get the bills passed, but Qaiser “did not listen to us”.
“We believe three or four additional votes were counted in favour of the government,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the incumbent government passed the laws by bulldozing the constitution.
Read more: Bill passed on using EVMs in elections, overseas Pakistanis receive voting rights
Earlier, the Joint Sitting of the Parliament passed The Elections Second Amendment Bill, 2021, granting the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis and providing for use of electronic voting machines in the elections.
The bill was moved by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awam. According to the bill, the Election Commission of Pakistan shall, with the technical assistance of NADRA and any other authority or agency, enable overseas Pakistanis in a prescribed manner subject to secrecy and security to exercise their right to vote during the general elections.
The bill also authorizes the ECP to procure electronic voting machines for casting votes in general elections. This prompted the opposition to tear copies of the agenda and walk out of the session in protest.
