NewDelhi: Pakistan’s election commission has backed off by saying that general elections are not possible within three months due to various reasons and challenges like legal, constitutional and logistical.
Pakistan’s beleaguered
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has stunned the PDM alliance and the citizen on Sunday by announcing fresh general elections within three months, just after a no-confidence motion against the PTI govt was rejected by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly. After that, he got the assent of President Arif Alvi for the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has asked for the proceedings record of the National Assembly on Sunday while hearing the issue on Tuesday. Amid the rising tension Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought a minimum of six’s months time to hold the general election to logistical constraints.
A reason like delimitation of constituencies as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats was increased but the work for new electoral has not been completed. According to him, delimitation is a tedious process that needs around one month’s time to invite open objections from the public.
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The official further said that procurement of election material, the printing of ballot papers and training of polling staff were among the few challenges which need to be addressed before scheduling the elections.
Referring to the legal issues, the ECP official said that under Section 14 of the Elections Act, the ECP needs at least four months prior time to announce the poll dates.
Meanwhile, the constitutionality of the measures leading to the dissolution of Pakistan’s National Assembly will be decided by the Top Court, but political commentators feel that a prompt decision by the apex court is the need of the hour for Pakistan.
