- Official says ECP has approached judiciary for ROs, DROs.
- Says polls will be organised under new election laws.
- Adds electoral authority is in touch with all institutions.
Election Commission of Pakistan’s Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal has said that if the National Assembly is dissolved as per the competition of its tenure, then the ECP will hold the polls before October 11.
“If the assembly is dissolved after the completion of the term on August 12, then we will hold the elections before October 11,” Iqbal said during a media briefing alongside Secretary Omar Hamid Khan on Thursday.
He added that the elections will be held based on the delimitation done after the 2017 census.
The special secretary also said that the ECP will get security officials for the polls and is in touch with all institutions. He added that the ECP has also purchased watermarked paper.
“Elections will be held as per the new electoral reforms,” Iqbal added.
On the other hand, Hamid Khan said that they have approached the judiciary for the deployment of officers as district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs). He added that they have sent letters to the registrars of Islamabad, Peshawar and Sindh high courts for ROs. While they sent a reminder letter to Peshawar and Punjab high courts as they had made the request earlier.
Last month, parliament made amendments to the Election Act 2017 that made changes to the electoral process.
The bill was approved by Sadiq Sanjarani, who was the interim president at the time.
Senate Chairman Sanjrani, assumed the role of acting president as President Arif Alvi left for Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, signed the summary forwarded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Under the amendments the the disqualification of a parliamentarian has been limited to a maximum of five years, paving the way for those barred for life from running for public office.
“Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, any other law for the time being in force and Judgment, orders or decree of any court, including the Supreme Court and a High Court, the disqualification of a person to be elected, chosen, or to remain as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of 9 Provincial Assembly under Paragraph (1) of clause (1) of Article 62 of the Constitution shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the declaration by the court of law in that regard and such declaration shall be subject to the due process of law,” the bill reads.
The amendment also allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the date for polls unilaterally, without the president’s approval.
“…the Commission shall by notification in the official gazette announce the date or dates, as the case may be, of the general elections,” the bill reads, amending Section 58 of the Election Act.
The law allows the election commission to make changes to the election programme after announcing the date, but it would have to do it “in writing”.
