President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday returned unsigned 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, saying that the proposed reversals were “regressive” in nature.
The bill, along with the one on NAB amendments, was passed by the National Assembly and Senate last month. After its approval from both houses, only the president’s assent was required for it to become law. However, Alvi sent back the bills, following which the government convened a joint sitting of the NA and Senate on June 9 to consider the bills, which were approved the same day.
Procedurally, after bills are passed by the joint sitting, they are presented to the president once again for his assent. 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.
