Here’s How the Online Voting System Will Work in Pakistan

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in collaboration with National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA), has developed an Online Voting System for Overseas Pakistanis. Using this system, Overseas Pakistanis can now cast their vote for their home constituencies.

Chairman NADRA Usman Mobin gave a video and multimedia presentation to a three-member bench of Supreme Court at Islamabad. Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Kahn and officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.

Usman Mobin told the SC bench that this voting system is fully digital. Overseas Pakistanis can cast their votes without leaving homes by using any internet connected device like PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet. This vote casting will be done as per the Voters List. To cast a vote, an overseas Pakistani who wishes to use the system must have:-

1. A National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistani
2. A Machine Readable Passport
3. A valid Email Address

Usman Mobin told the bench that overseas voters must first register themselves with the Online Voting System in order to cast their votes. The online voting system is integrated with the web portal of ECP and NADRA. To facilitate voters the system can be used in Urdu and English.

To register, a voter must log on the website (www.overseasvoting.gov.pk) and create an account using an email address and a mobile number. After logging in to the website using the account, select registration. The system will first determine the eligibility of the voter and will ask to enter following details.

• 13-digit Unique National Identity Card Number printed on NICOP Card
• The Issuance Date of the NICOP Card
• Machine Readable Passport Number
• And the Tracking ID Number printed on Machine Readable Passport

If the voter is eligible, the system will ask two verification questions from the data to confirm the identity of the voter. Upon successful verification, the system will send a notification to the registered email address of the voter, confirming their registration as an “Overseas” voter.

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Subsequently, the system will also de-list the Overseas Voter from the local Voter list of their home constituency. Vote casting process is as under:

• Before the Election, the system will send a Voter Pass to the Voter on their registered email address.
• On Election Day, the Voter will log in to the website using their account and select “Vote Now”.
• Using the Voter Pass, the Voter will select the National Assembly or Provincial Assembly Constituency and cast their vote for the candidate of their choice.

Once the Voting time is over, Election Commission of Pakistan will enable the reporting portal of the Online Voting System.

The Returning Officers, using the reporting portal, will be able to view and print results of the Online Voting System respective to their constituencies.