Pak President Arif Alvi again returns 'regressive' election reforms bill

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 19 (ANI): Terming the proposals "regressive", Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Sunday returned a bill seeking to reverse the controversial changes made in election laws by the previous PTI government regarding the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and i-voting for overseas Pakistanis.
Notably, the National Assembly passed bills suggesting that overseas Pakistanis can only vote physically rather than electronically. Last month, Pakistan National Assembly and Senate passed this electoral reforms bill along with with the one on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments. Both the houses passed the bills however, it needed the president's assent to become a law, reported Dawn.
Alvi sent back the bills and following this, the bills are presented to the president once again. It was set that if the president does not give his approval within 10 days, it will be deemed to have been given. Despite that, Alvi sent back the elections reform bill today, unsigned.
President Alvi said that he had not signed the bill "despite the fact, that the Constitution that he upholds, will make it into law," as per a statement issued by the President's Secretariat.
Alvi said he had been pursuing the issues of EVMs and voting for overseas Pakistanis with all governments, in parliament, and with the Supreme Court for over a decade.
He referred to Article 75 (2) of the Constitution of Pakistan which states: "When the President has returned a Bill to the Majlis-e Shoora (Parliament), it shall be reconsidered by the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) in joint sitting and, if it is again passed, with or without amendment, by the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), by the votes of the majority of the members of both Houses present and voting, it shall be deemed for the purposes of the Constitution to have been passed by both Houses and shall be presented to the President, and the President shall give his assent within ten days, failing which such assent shall be deemed to have been given."
"The President said that besides the proposed laws' regressive nature that he pointed out in detail when he referred the bill back to Parliament, he strongly believes that technology today, especially with EVMs when used judiciously contains many solutions that reduce the impact of confusion, discord and accusations in our 'ever-marred' and challenged election processes," President's Secretariat stated, as per the media portal.
"Technology can also improve transparency, make elections inclusive with the vote of our Overseas Pakistanis, build confidence and reduce polarisation to finally achieve our elusive dream of free and fair elections," it highlighted.
Despite the reservations of the then opposition over the "electoral reforms", former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been supporting the holding of the next general elections through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) however the current government has reversed the controversial changes. (ANI)