ECP’s special benches hear complaints against delimitations

ISLAMABAD: The special benches constituted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) started hearing complaints against the delimitations, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The ECP’s Bench I headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja heard objections to the new delimitations, whereas, Bench II headed by ECP member Nisar Durrani also conducted hearings today.

The petitioners along with the counsels gave arguments over flaws in delimitation of different constituencies.

The ECP special benches have primarily heard objections to constituencies in Islamabad, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Kohat, Khyber, Kurram, Attock, Nankana Sahib, Jhelum, Korangi, Sialkot, Rajanpur, Shikarpur, and Khuzdar.

The commission issued notices to the petitioners for hearings scheduled for November 2 and 3.

The commission had received a total of 1,324 objectionsto the new delimitations, including 672 from Punjab, 228 from Sindh, 293 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 124 from Balochistan and seven from Islamabad.

After concluding the hearings, the ECP would publish the final list of delimitations on November 30.

On Monday, the election commission finalised the categories of polling stations across the country ahead of the general elections.

ARY News obtained the data of normal, sensitive and most sensitive polling stations compiled by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Sources told ARY News that 91,809 polling stations will be established in four provinces, including 15,821 in Punjab, 19,236 in Sindh, 5,015 in Balochistan and 15,737 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Sindh: 8,030 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 4,430 most sensitive.

Punjab: 15,829 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 6,599 most sensitive.

Balochistan: 2,068 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 2,038 most sensitive.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP): 6,581 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 4,344 most sensitive.