ECP allots election symbols to political parties

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday allotted election symbols to political parties for the upcoming general elections, ARY News reported.

According to details, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired a meeting of the election commission, wherein a briefing was given on various information technology (IT) projects related to general election 2023.

During the meeting, the ECP allotted election symbols for the general polls to 127 political parties collectively.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) election symbol of bat, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Arrow, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)’s lion remained the same in the symbol allotment.

Meanwhile, the officers of IT team and project management unit briefed the participants of the meeting on various projects, including election management system (EMS).

Returning officers (ROs) will be facilitated in compiling results under election management system (EMS). The meeting was also briefed on the establishment of Election Management Control Center.

Punjab polls

The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the election schedule for the general election in Punjab. “Polling for the election of Punjab provincial assembly will be held on April 30,” the election commission announced.

According to the election schedule, candidates could submit their nomination papers from March 12 to 14, while scrutiny of the papers will be held on March 22.

The candidates could withdraw their nomination papers up to April 05 and election symbols to candidates will be allotted on April 06, the ECP announced.

It is pertinent to mention here that President Dr Arif Alvi announced April 30 as the date for elections in Punjab.

SC verdict

The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on Wednesday that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab should be held within 90 days.

CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the verdict, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the admissibility of the suo moto notice and dissented from the majority verdict.

Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail in their dissenting notes agreed with the position of Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Athar Minallah. “The matter was already being heard in the high courts, Supreme Court cannot take suo moto notice on the undertrial cases in the high courts.”

The short verdict stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed in discharging its role in the election. The announcement of the election date in KP is the responsibility of the provincial governor, while the president has the authority as per law and constitution to fix the election date in Punjab.

The verdict further stated a consultation to fix the date of elections in Punjab, if they are not possible on April 9, the date announced by the president.