ISLAMABAD: The JUI-F supports the ECP holding general elections after delimitation. While the PTI wants the ECP to terminate the process and hold polls within 90 days.
Both parties expressed their positions when ECP officials met with them to discuss the election plan with key political parties.
The electoral watchdog stated that PTI members stressed that elections should held within 90 days. No need for delimitation at this time”.
The party led by Imran Khan demanded the immediate release of its detained leaders and workers. As well as political rallies and equitable political treatment from the ECP.
However, JUI-F officials stated that elections constitutional and advised the electoral administration to delimit first when the census results announced.
The election commission assured both parties that it would hold the elections quickly and on a level playing field.
The statement also said major political parties will consulted in the coming days.
According to sources, political parties will consulted individually on the election route, delimitation, and voter lists.
The sources said the ECP’s meeting with political parties will start in a few days.
At the time, sources said the electoral watchdog would meet with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Awami National Party. The ECP met with JUI-F and PTI alone.
The Shehbaz Sharif-led government prematurely dissolved the National Assembly on August 9 and the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies to allow the electoral authority to hold elections within 90 days instead of 60 days if the legislature completed its constitutional tenure.
CCI Meeting
The Council of Common Interest (CCI) approved the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023 days before the legislatures dissolved, therefore the ECP may not able to hold the polls on time.
The CCI meeting chaired by then-prime minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the census data, which showed a population of 241.49 million and a growth rate of 2.55%.
The poll watchdog constitutionally required to organise elections after fresh delimitations based on the 7th census with CCI permission.
Article 51 (5) of the Constitution allocates National Assembly members to provinces and the federal capital based on population from the last official census.
The ECP published the schedule of new delimitations for the CCI-approved census on August 17.
The new national constituency boundaries will announced in December, per schedule.
The ECP schedule showed that fresh delimitation will take approximately four months, therefore general elections cannot be held within 90 days of the province and national assembly’ dissolution.
