PITB unfairly under fire for Result Transmission System used in Elections 2018

A lot of rumors have been making the rounds on social media suggesting that the inefficient Result Transmission System (RTS) was developed by Punjab IT Board (PITB). Based on this false information, PITB is facing severe criticism.

However, the system that lapsed during the crucial time of propagation of vote counts and announcement of results, was developed by Election Commision of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA). The development of the system was initiated after an agreement was signed between ECP and NADRA. Upon ECP’s request, NADRA agreed to develop the RTS system that will maintain soft copies of voter information and electoral counts. Google Play Store has also listed NADRA as the developers of the ECP RTS Training app.

PITB also denied in a tweet that it had no link or participation to the development of RTS. Dr. Umar Saif has also vehemently denied the same. False information also suggested that PITB was hosting the data for elections, however, all the data of recent electoral polls reside with ECP and NADRA.

RTS allowed Presiding Officers to transmit results to Returning Officers through a mobile app. However, after thousands of polling officers started using the system, it crashed. Before the system was brought under use a confusion was also created when it was announced that if Presiding Officers do not have compatible smartphones, the app will be installed in other election staff mobiles. Some remote areas also suffered from the absence of network signals.

While speaking with TechJuice, Umar saif commented,