ECP introduces online voting system for overseas Pakistani’s

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has introduced an online voting system for upcoming general elections 2018 of Pakistan in cooperation with National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA). The development of integrated online voting system is to provide voting right to over Seven million of Pakistanis living abroad.

Usman Mobin, Chairman NADRA gave a video demonstration in front of Supreme Court three-member bench at Islamabad, Sardar Raza Khan, Chief Election Commissioner and officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.

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Usman Mobin further describes that it is a three-tier mechanism, that can be done by having internet connection on voters Laptops, PCs, smartphone and tablets. The voting procedure will be done as per voters list. This project will cost around RS 150 million funded by ECP and will start functioning within four months.

ECP three-tier online voting mechanism:

• Voters registration and verification
• Vote casting process
• Final results and audit

For registration and verification overseas Pakistani voters must have:

• National ID card for Overseas Pakistani (NICOP)
• Machine readable Passport
• Valid email address

Registration:

Usman Mobin also told SC bench that for voting, An overseas Pakistani first have to register themselves with an Online voting system. To register, a voter must make an account on the website as per requirements (www.overseasvoting.gov.pk) and have to login. After logging in, select registration and it will ask some details to confirm eligibility of voter.

• Issuance Date of NICOP card
• Machine legible passport number
• 13 digit National ID card number printed on NICOP
• Tracking ID printed on machine legible passport

After confirming verification, the system will then ask two-step verification question in order to verify identity of voter. After that system will send an email to voter’s email ID, confirming that he/she has been registered as an overseas voter.

Voting procedure:

• Before election, system will send Voter’s pass on their email address
• On election day, the voters have to log in into their account and will select “Vote now”
• Now voter will use their pass and select National Assembly or Provincial Assembly Constituency to cast vote for their preferred candidate.