FEARS that next month’s general elections will be reduced to an undemocratic farce have gained traction with the seemingly wholesale rejection of PTI candidates at the scrutiny stage. This shows a vindictiveness and partiality unbecoming of a neutral poll watchdog tasked with organising free and transparent elections. Cancelling a mainstream party through arrests and intimidation, and now technicalities at the pre-poll stage, flies in the face of democracy. Similarly, the PTI enjoys a significant vote bank, and it must be left to the people’s court to judge its performance. The tribunals should make decisions on merit; any coordinated effort to keep PTI and other candidates out will reek of bias.

Source: Punch January 01, 2024 01:50 UTC