ISLAMABAD - The Indian chief election commissioner on Saturday visited Election Commission of Pakistan and held an important meeting for exchanging electoral expertise between Pakistan and India to mutually purge the polls of foul play. According to sources in ECP and ECI, a three-member delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by CEC Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi and comprising Director General ECI Shri Akhsay Rout and Deputy Election Commissioner Dr Alok Shuka paid a detailed visit to the ECP to hold crucial discussions on important electoral matters. The three major prevalent subjects that were reportedly figured high in the meeting pertained to political finance, election commissions (Pakistani and Indian) autonomy and the voters turnout in both the states. Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Justice (Retd) Hamid Ali Mirza, Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan, Joint Secretary Afzal Khan and other senior officials were part of the Saturday meeting. During discussions about political finance, the ECP officials reportedly briefed their Indian counterparts that Pakistani parliamentarians were required to submit their annual assets return forms containing their wealth details with the ECP. In Pakistan, any politician found guilty of irregularities or wrongdoings is liable to be sentenced three years or can be even disqualified but this practice is not exercised due to the absence of regularised mechanism to monitor political finance. The ECP, since April this year, has taken important steps in consultations with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR), Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) and Finance Ministry to streamline political finance but these measures have yet to be implemented. The meeting learnt from the ECI officials, as per Indian electoral laws, every political party in India is required to maintain a single centralised account strictly monitored by Indias income tax department. The ECI officials said they prepared video footages of every political gathering to estimate the exact expenditures. According to them, every individual politician is required to submit two separate affidavits, one carrying his criminal record, if any, to be submitted with security agencies while the other one carrying his financial record, to be submitted with Indian income tax department. Due to a lot more powers given to tax officials in India compared to Pakistan, the Indian politicians found guilty of irregularities are imprisoned and disqualified for holding public offices. The election officials of both the countries reportedly agreed to cooperate for introducing these electoral laws in Pakistan Sources quoted the Indian CEC Shabbuddin Yaqoob Quraishi as saying, The ECP has become all powerful after 18th amendment. All that is needed is the will to exercise these powers in letter and spirit to conduct transparent elections. The voters turnout in India, according to ECI officials, is 84 per cent compared to that of around 42 per cent in Pakistan that makes only fifty per cent of Indian voters turnout. This is because public at large in Pakistan does not trust the electoral process. With significant steps taken by the ECP to create sophisticated and centrally computerised voters lists, Electoral Rolls 2011, the chances of rigging in polls are virtually eliminated. Having learnt about these measures and the introduction of magnetic ink to ascertain voters thumb impression with the help of Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) to eliminate bogus votes, the ECI officials were reportedly 'impressed with the ECP steps to increase voters turnout. After 22 years of efforts since 1989, the ECI has introduced Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to conduct elections on highly modernised lines. The ECI officials say that the ECP has potential to acquire this technology in just two to three years provided that the latter keeps up with its ongoing pace towards free and fair elections. As part of mutual cooperation, the Indian CEC is reported to have invited ECP officials to visit India. Earlier this year, a top-level ECP delegation had visited New Delhi. The next visit is likely by this years end or earlier next year.