Pakistan has finally announced the long-awaited dates for the upcoming general elections, as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the polls will be held on February 11.
According to Sajeel Swati, the electoral body's counsel, the process of drawing constituencies will be completed by January 29, Dawn reported. This came as Pakistan's apex court resumed hearing a set of petitions calling for holding elections within 90 days.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa directed the ECP to hold consultations with President Arif Alvi on the matter on the same day. Calling the delimitations as a "constitutional and legal decision", former ECP Secretary Kanwar Dilshad said that the delimitations will be completed by November 30 and the schedule will be issued by mid-December.
Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Sharia Mazri called the announcement a "victory for democracy" and the Constitution, highlighting that her party has long demanded the official date to be announced.
During the hearing, the CJP noted that the request for polls to be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly has now become ineffective. Ali Zafar, the counsel for ex-PM Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf highlighted President Alvi proposing the polls to be held by November 6 to the Chief Election Commissioner.
Delay in elections
The ECP had earlier ruled out polls this year citing the need for fresh delimitation of constituencies. The Shehbaz Sharif-led government dissolved the National Assembly on August 9, three days before the completion of its tenure. The step allowed a caretaker regime to oversee the elections and the ECP to hold the polls within 90 days.
Several political parties, including allies of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, have repeatedly called out for an official announcement of the election dates and criticised the ECP for failing to do so.
The ECP on September announced that the elections would be held in the last week of February 2024. An official of the electoral body said that any official announcement of the election dates was not immediately possible, as it would start a formal process that has to follow specific timelines in the run-up to the elections.
Since the National Assembly was dissolved three days before the end of its constitutional term, the Pakistani Constitution mandates that elections be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly by November 7. However, the Elections Act states that “the commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.”
President Arif Alvi assented to the premature dissolution of the National Assembly on August 5, paving the way for an interim government to take place.
Notably, the incumbent government was due to be completed on August 12, but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif handed over the summary to President Alvi three days before the completion of the five-year constitutional term.
Pakistan general elections
Notably, the Pakistan National Assembly has 342 seats-- 272 of which are directly elected, 60 are reserved for women, and 10 for religious minorities. According to the country's constitution, at least 70 seats reserved for women and religious minorities are allocated to the political parties as per their proportional representation.
Sharif’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League party (PML-N) is expected to face tough competition from Imran Khan’s PTI party-- though Khan himself would be unable to take part unless his conviction is overturned. Under Pakistan’s laws, no one with a criminal conviction can lead a party, run in elections, or hold public office.
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