New ECP assurance boosts February election prospects

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced its commitment to concurrently undertake the tasks of constituency delimitation and updating electoral rolls, aiming to expedite the processes and raise hopes for general elections scheduled in February next year.

According to Dawn.com, the assurance was given during a consultative meeting on the electoral roadmap with a delegation from the Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday.

The reports said that while this approach might question the constitutional rule of holding elections within 90 days of assembly dissolution, it seeks to alleviate concerns about a prolonged delay following the delimitation process by synchronising electoral rolls with the new census blocks.

However, if this happens, the decision would help create the Senate’s electoral college before the half-term expiry in March.

Meanwhile, an ECP spokesperson said that the commission had initiated the dual effort of delimitation and electoral roll updates, aiming to achieve concurrent completion of both procedures.

Read More: ECP assured polls to take place within timeframe: Ahsan Iqbal

The spokesperson clarified the commission’s proactive stance and dismissed speculations that electoral roll updates would only commence after the delimitation process’s December conclusion.

Furthermore, the PML-N delegation urged the ECP to finalise delimitation and electoral roll updates by December 14. Whereas, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja reassured the PML-N representatives that both tasks would be executed simultaneously, ensuring timely elections.

As per the reports, following the meeting, PML-N leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Zahid Hamid indicated a potential February election date, noting that the election schedule’s various stages included 54 days from issuance to voting day.

Meanwhile, the PML-N emphasised that the census results had received unanimous approval from the Council of Common Interests (CCI), and all political parties concurred on holding the 2023 elections based on the new census data. They highlighted the ECP’s alignment with the Constitution and legal provisions in its delimitation schedule.

Proposals to revive the consultation process for the code of conduct, prohibit hate speech, and restrict campaign expenses to posters and stickers were made by the PML-N representatives. They suggested media campaigns be conducted by parties rather than candidates.

The delegation also suggested that district returning officers and returning officers be appointed by the ECP to ensure fair and efficient execution of their duties.

The CEC affirmed that the ECP would consult all political parties in accordance with the law to finalise the code of conduct. He assured transparency, fairness, and equal opportunities for all parties, with stringent actions for code of conduct violations.

Media reported that PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal highlighted suggestions to control election expenses and enhance transparency. He expressed the ECP’s commitment to operate within constitutional and legal parameters for the timely elections.

He further highlighted the commission’s willingness to consider proposals for effective codes of conduct and expense reduction. He cited concerns over electoral transparency and the RTS incident in the 2018 elections.

He conveyed the commission’s assurance that an automated system is being developed for election monitoring and result compilation. This system, the delegation was assured, would be transparent and credible.

Efforts to facilitate women voters’ registration and engagement in the electoral process were also discussed during the meeting.