There may be a delay in holding general elections since the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has objected to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to undertake new delimitation of constituencies. As a close friend of the defunct Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) administration, the PPP is concerned about the impact of this judgement on the country’s constitution.
Delimitation Ruling by the ECP
The ECP has recently announced plans to conduct a nationwide delimitation of constituencies in Pakistan using data from a new census that has been approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI). In order to hold general elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, this move may cause a delay due to the need to redraw electoral boundaries.
Timeline for Delimitation Extending
Expect the new delimitation procedure to take about four months, beginning on September 8 and ending on October 7. There should be elections within 90 days, but this schedule doesn’t match that.
Third, the PPP’s view on constitutional necessities
Party of the People’s Power (PPP) spokesman Faisal Karim Kundi raised issues with the constitutional prerequisites for elections. As Kundi pointed out, the dissolution of the National Assembly does not mandate delimitation, but it does mandate holding elections within 90 days.
Consistency of PPP with Articles of the Constitution
The PPP’s position is consistent with Article 51 (5) of the Constitution, which states that parliamentary representation in the National Assembly shall be established in accordance with the population of each province and the federal capital as determined by the most recent official census.
Approving the Census and the Function of PDM
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) played a major role in the PDM-led government’s unanimous approval of the revised census during a CCI meeting. This ruling made it necessary for the ECP to perform new delimitations before holding elections.
The Election Commission’s Duties Under the Act
Hundreds of province and national assembly constituencies across Pakistan will need to have their boundaries redrawn, and the ECP is responsible for this per the Election Act. This guarantees a fair representational breakdown of the seats.
Supreme Court Petition
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) responded to these events by filing a petition with the high court. The petition asked the court to force the ECP to schedule national and provincial assembly elections in accordance with Article 224(2) of the Constitution.
Request for Stay of CCI Action
The SCBA has asked the Supreme Court to delay the election timeframe by appealing the CCI’s August 5 ruling.
Conclusion
Concerns raised by the PPP and subsequent legal action highlight the delicate balancing act between constitutional guarantees, electoral procedures, and political will. The Supreme Court’s decision on the SCBA’s case will provide insight into whether or not the ECP’s delimitation decision violates the constitution and how this can affect the schedule of Pakistan’s general elections.
