ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's election law imposes criminal liability on election officials who fail to perform their duties, with potential penalties including imprisonment, fines, or both. This comes as a result of the provisions outlined in the Elections Act 2017, which targets not only corrupt voters and candidates but also negligent or willfully non-compliant election officers.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, Section 184 of the Elections Act 2017 specifies offences related to election officials, with Section 184(b) making it a crime for any appointed person to influence a voter. More critically, Section 184(c) extends liability to those who willfully or negligently fail to perform their duties as prescribed by the Act or its Rules. The penalties for these offences, as detailed in Section 188, can include up to two years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The law's negligence provision, found in Section 184(c), is particularly noteworthy. It signifies that election officials, such as Presiding Officers, Registration Officers, and Returning Officers, can face criminal charges for what might otherwise be considered administrative errors. This includes failing to complete a ballot paper account, not processing valid voter applications, or neglecting to issue required notices.