ISLAMABAD: Two major political parties of the country, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Thursday strongly rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) schedule of holding fresh delimitation, with PTI announcing the party would challenge the decision of the Council of Common Interests before the Supreme Court (SC) today (Friday).
In a strong reaction to the ECP’s move of fresh delimitation, the PTI spokesperson said that the ECP’s schedule of redrawing constituencies was based on malicious intent and a clear deviation from the Constitution.
He said that in the case of premature dissolution of the National Assembly, the ECP was constitutionally bound to hold elections within stipulated 90 days.
PTI spokesperson said that the ECP’s schedule was a criminal attempt to prolong the tenure of the caretaker government in sheer violation of the constitution.
He stated that in the wake of violating the SC’s order on holding elections in Punjab and Pakhtunkhwa and breaching the constitution, the ECP was once again resorted to violating the constitution to delay the polls unlawfully and unconstitutionally.
PTI spokesperson went on to say that in the light of the decision of the CCI, the redrawing the constituencies could not be used as an excuse and justification to escape from the elections.
He recalled that apart from the Prime Minister, the four elected provincial chief ministers were part of the CCI, adding that a major irregularity was committed by making the illegal caretaker chief ministers of Punjab and KP a part of the decision-making process in the meeting of the CCI.
PTI Spokesman said that they were looking for poll escape route due to fear of crushing defeat because of the rising popularity of the PTI.
However, he vowed that the party would resist all such conspiracies and attempts to deprive the people of their right to vote according to the constitution.
PTI spokesperson stated that the ECP’s anti-constitution schedule would be challenged in the apex court.
Shortly after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced holding fresh delimitations, the PPP also opposed the decision, saying drawing new boundaries of constituencies is not a “constitutional requirement”.
The electoral authority has announced that new delimitations will be carried out across the country on the basis of a new census approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI) meeting last month, meaning the general elections in the country will be delayed beyond its 90 days constitutional requirement.
The ECP schedule showed that fresh delimitation will take nearly four months, to be held from September 8 to October 7, as per the electoral body’s schedule.
Reacting to the ECP’s announcement, PPP spokesperson Faisal Karim Kundi said the party has been demanding elections to be held as per the Constitution.
“There is no constitutional requirement to do delimitations but there is [a] constitutional requirement to hold elections within 90 days,” he added.
The PPP was a key ally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government in the Centre, which “unanimously” approved the new census earlier this month, requiring the ECP to carry out fresh delimitations before holding polls.
As per the schedule, the new delimitation of the constituencies across the country will be notified in December this year.
As per the Election Act, the ECP said it is bound to draw new boundaries for hundreds of provincial and national assembly constituencies across the country.
According to Article 51 (5) of the Constitution, the seats of the National Assembly to each province and the federal capital shall be allocated on the basis of population in accordance with the last preceding census officially published.
A day earlier, a petition was also filed in the Supreme Court for holding seeking its orders for the ECP to announce a date for polls to the national and provincial assemblies as per Article 224(2) of the Constitution.
In its petition, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) top lawyers’ body pleaded with the top court to suspend the August 5 decision of the CCI.
