Shortly after a meeting presided over by the Chief of Election Commission of Pakistan, it was announced that the process of identifying constituencies had been initiated. It was revealed that the constituencies would be determined as per facts and figures of the 2017 census.
The decision was announced as the commission realized that it did not have ample time to conduct a census before the next elections. It added that the constituencies would be determined within the next four months. The Election commission of Pakistan also ordered the provincial governments to provide all relevant data before the commission.
The secretary election commission has been ordered to submit an action plan for holding general elections. The relevant authority was advised to submit the action plan before 13th of April so that all the procedures can be handled within the time limits.
Read more: ECP rejects media report on early elections
The ECP also ordered that all relevant funds needed to hold the local body elections in Punjab need to be released immediately. It added that the Punjab local body elections were already behind schedule, and any further delay could result in a violation of the Constitution and the law.
The ECP also took strict notice of the lack of a no-objection certificate over its submitted proposal for a supplementary grant. It initiated an inquiry into the matter and advised that the relevant authorities should be summoned to debrief on why the grant had not been released. Using this as a justification and citing various other reasons, the ECP said it was facing serious hurdles to perform its constitutional and legal duty.
The ECP has also released an order to summon the Federal Secretary, finance division secretary Punjab, after consulting whom it would announce future decisions.
Earlier, the President had ordered the ECP to propose dates for the next general elections, which will be held within 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly.
In a letter dated April 5, 2022 addressed to ECP, the President’s Secretariat asked to propose date(s) for holding general elections within 90 days from the date of dissolution of the National Assembly i.e., April 3, 2022, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan,” the President House said in a statement.
Read more: ECP to hold general elections in October 2022?
Responding to the President’s orders, the Election Commission said that it would require at least four additional months to complete the process of delimitation.
Suddenly when Sup Court has to decide if country should go to elections or assembly should be restored, Election Commission announces that it can't hold election before Oct; clear attempt to influence Sup Court Decision making – Is ECP not bound to conduct Elections in 90 days?
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) April 7, 2022
“Elections could safely be held honestly, justly, fairly as ordained in Article 18 (3) of the constitution, in October 2022,” it further added.