The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) conveyed its concerns regarding the upcoming general elections during a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday.
The PPP has been consistently expressing reservations about the election date, contending that it should adhere to the constitutional mandate of being held within 90 days.
On August 17th, the ECP announced a schedule for new delimitations in alignment with the recent census data approved by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The timeline indicated that the new delimitation process would span nearly four months, rendering it impossible to hold the general elections within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period following the dissolution of the provincial and national assemblies.
After the meeting with the CEC, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman stated during a press conference that the party had presented its reservations to the ECP. She emphasized that while the ECP is responsible for conducting elections, the Constitution explicitly stipulates that elections must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly.
PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari echoed this sentiment, highlighting the constitutional requirement for elections within the specified timeframe. He stressed the importance of establishing a concrete election date.
Bukhari further revealed that the ECP had listened to their perspective and would provide further information regarding the election date after internal discussions. The PPP intends to finalize its course of action during the upcoming CEC meeting in Lahore.
Meanwhile, the ECP is engaged in ongoing consultations with various political parties. Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has been invited for discussions, while the Awami National Party (ANP) delegation will hold a meeting with the ECP. The consultations aim to address concerns and build consensus on the election schedule and related matters.
This uncertainty around the election date has emerged due to the requirement for delimitation based on the latest census data. The ECP faces the challenge of completing this process within the constitutional time frame, as the Council of Common Interests (CCI) recently approved the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023, necessitating fresh delimitations.
The timeline established by the ECP indicates that the delimitation process will extend for approximately four months, making it impractical to hold elections within the constitutionally mandated 90-day window after the assembly’s dissolution. This situation has led to political parties expressing their concerns and seeking clarity on the election schedule.