March 1; PILDAT has welcomed the ECP and NADRA initiative of introducing SMS facility to citizens to verify their voter registration. �The use of technology to provide ease of access to citizens is deeply appreciated; the introduction of SMS technology has brought verification of enrolment in electoral rolls at the �finger-tips of the citizens,� commended PILDAT.

An error-free computerized electoral roll, based on CNICs of citizens of Pakistan and containing their photographs, has been a key demand of PILDAT Electoral Reforms proposals. The ECP, together with NADRA, has made important strides in this regard and it is commendable that ease of access, through SMS facility, in addition to display of Electoral Rolls, is being provided to the citizens of Pakistan. The use of this SMS facility should be widely publicized so that citizens can make use of it.

Registered voters can send their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC) number via SMS to 8300 at anytime from anywhere in the country. After sending the SMS, the voter will subsequently receive a message in Urdu containing their name, village, city, tehsil or district, location (electoral area) and the serial number of vote registered in the preliminary electoral rolls.

PILDAT also demanded that in addition to this, the ECP must display draft Electoral Rolls at its website online. While SMS technology is being utilized for ease of access, not using the key technology of website access stands contrary to the requirements of access and transparency.