NA fast-tracks Elections Act changes, elevates Federal Constitutional Court

WEB DESK: The National Assembly has approved a bill introducing further amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, with the revised law, titled the Elections (Amendment) Act, 2026, set to take effect immediately.

Under the amendments, several key provisions of the existing law have been revised to formally include the Federal Constitutional Court in the electoral legal framework. Section 9 of the Elections Act has been amended to replace the word “Supreme” with “Federal Constitutional Court,” while Section 66 has been updated to extend jurisdiction to the newly established court.

Changes have also been approved to Sections 104 and 104A, explicitly assigning the Federal Constitutional Court a role in adjudicating election-related disputes. Additionally, an important amendment to Section 138 of the Act was passed as part of the legislative package.

Separately, the House approved amendments granting the Speaker of the National Assembly or the Chairman of the Senate discretionary authority to withhold the public disclosure of lawmakers’ asset details in specific circumstances. Under the revised law, asset declarations may be kept confidential if their publication poses a threat to a member’s life or security.

The amendments allow the Speaker or Chairman to issue a ruling in the House, supported by written reasons, to justify such non-disclosure. Asset details can be kept confidential for a maximum period of one year.

However, the law makes it mandatory for members to submit complete and accurate declarations of their assets and liabilities to the Election Commission of Pakistan on a confidential basis, ensuring regulatory oversight despite limited public disclosure.