ECP shortens delimitation time frame to ensure ‘early elections’

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday announced to finalise delimitation of constitutes by November 30 which was earlier scheduled to be completed on December 14, ARY News reported.

In a statement, the ECP said that the decision was taken after consultations with the political parties to ensure an early election.

“The purpose of reducing the time frame of delimitation is to hold the election as soon as possible,” the press release stated. “The polls schedule will be announced keeping this date in mind.”

It said the ECP would carry out work on delimiting constituencies “as soon as possible” and publish them by Nov 30.

Recently, the Election Commission held consultations with political parties including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Muttahida Qoumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Jamiat Ulema Islam-Faiz (JUI-F) and others regarding the road map to general elections.

In those meetings, the JUI-F, PML-N and MQM-P had backed the ECP to hold general elections after the delimitation while the PTI and PPP had urged the electoral watchdog to drop the process and conduct polls within 90 days.

Earlier, it was reported that the ECP decided to hold general elections in the second week of February 2024.

Sources privy to the development told ARY News that the election commission is likely to issue general elections schedule after December 2023. “The election schedule will be issued 54 days after the completion of the delimitation process,” said sources with ECP.