Proportional Representation


BRITAIN is going for a referendum on the issue of a new voting system to be adopted in future elections. It is increasingly being acknowledged that the present system is unfair and undemocratic. We also use the same system in Pakistan. Under the present system, usually in any constituency, a candidate with a tally of about 30 per cent of the votes cast wins the seat.

As about 50 per cent of the voters never turn up, the winner receives only about 15 per cent of the total listed votes and yet he/she claims to be the representative of 100 per cent of the people. Another sad factor of the said system is as follows: suppose a political party such as Tehrik-i-Insaf attains 10 per cent of the votes cast all over the country, but as its supporters are scattered all over Pakistan, it will probably get no seat at all.

On the contrary, in all fairness, it should be getting 10 per cent of the total number of seats, and it will get these seats if the system of proportional representation is adopted. This system is used in several countries such as South Africa, Brazil, Finland and Holland. It will be a refreshing change if we explore the possibility of adopting the system of proportional representation or one of its variants.

Let us throw away a few old skeletons.

KHALID A.
London, UK


Link: Dawn, 04 May 2011