Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani on Tuesday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to categorically specify the time it requires for delimitation of constituencies and avoid any delay to general elections beyond the constitutionally mandated 90-day period.
In a press statement, the former Leader of the House noted it had been six days since the dissolution of the National Assembly and Article 224 of the Constitution called for conducting elections within 90 days. “It is canny that the Election Commission has issued no comprehensive statement with reference to, or dealing with, the holding of general elections,” he said.
“The Election Commission should immediately, categorically, state the time required by it for the delimitation of constituencies after the digital census,” he continued, stressing this should not be taken as a “routine” matter, nor should the delay to polls in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa be regarded as precedence.
“Any delay in the holding of general elections within the constitutional period will have serious consequences for the federation and such consequences shall rest on the shoulders of Election Commission, should it not act immediately to fulfill its constitutional mandate,” he added.
There have been growing concerns over the conduct of general elections, as several former ministers have made it clear they do not expect polls to be held before February or March 2024, 3-4 months after their constitutional deadline. The ECP has yet to issue any statement in this regard, though it has called a meeting for today (Wednesday) during which it is expected to determine how much time it would need for delimitation.
The electoral body has, however, already issued instructions to all caretaker governments to ensure a level playing field for all contesting candidates and political parties. It has also directed the interim setups to assist it in holding elections in accordance with Section 230(1)(b) of the Elections Act, 2017.