ECP submits report to SC, proposes elections on same day

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has submitted a report to the Supreme Court (SC) in which election on the same day was proposed, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The content of the report submitted by the ECP to the SC came forth in which the commission proposed to conduct elections on the same day.

The report was compiled by the ECP on the basis of facts and proposed to hold polls on October 8. It expressed fear that the elections on different dates will spread anarchy in the country.

According to the report, the number of available police personnel for Punjab elections is 81,050, whereas, 466,000 personnel were needed for security duties. It added that police and other security institutions are conducting different operations to maintain law and order situation.

The commission further stated that the risks of violent incidents will be increased in case of conducting elections in different phases. It added that phase-wise polls had been conducted from 1970 to 1977 in which some political parties boycotted the elections after facing a defeat.

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The commission stated that it will require at least a six-month timeframe to conduct polls in Punjab if the court still orders to conduct phase-wise elections.

Earlier, top officials of the country’s intelligence agencies reportedly met with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and other two apex court judges who are hearing a case related to the elections in Punjab on May 14.

According to sources, ISI and MI chiefs gave a briefing to the judges on the security issues confronting the country.

Sources further revealed that the meeting between the judges and the security officials continued for over two hours in the CJP’s chamber.

A three-judge bench – led by the chief justice and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan – on April 4 declared Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the election for the Punjab Assembly as “unconstitutional” and ordered it to hold polls in the province on May 14.

The same bench on April 14 ordered the SBP to directly issue Rs21 billion for the election and submit its report on April 18.