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| Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial. — Photo via SC website/File |
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial emphasized the importance of transparency in the delimitation process, stating that it holds significant implications for the public. His comments came during a session on Tuesday when a two-member Supreme Court (SC) bench, comprised of Justice Bandial and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, addressed a petition concerning irregularities and unlawful aspects of the delimitation for PS-07, PS-08, and PS-09 within Sindh's Shikarpur district.
Following the recent endorsement of final results from the inaugural digital census earlier this month, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is now anticipated to execute a fresh round of constituency delimitation. However, the ECP recently asserted that organizing elections based on this new delimitation would be impractical and time-consuming, estimating a period of four to six months for the procedure. Consequently, the likelihood of holding general elections this year has diminished significantly.
Meanwhile, a report published by Dawn today highlighted a considerable disparity in the allocation of districts across the country, which is expected to complicate the forthcoming process of redrawing boundaries for provincial assembly elections. The report underscored that an in-depth evaluation of population statistics indicated that, unlike for National Assembly constituencies, the remapping of provincial assembly seats could impact numerous districts.
During the SC hearing, the CJP brought up the recurrent delimitation issue, noting that it had been presented before the highest court on multiple occasions. He pointed out that if adjustments to delineations were made by revenue officials (tapedars) during the process, it could significantly influence the electoral prospects of candidates vying from those constituencies. The CJP remarked, "This is a matter of public interest."
Justice Bandial asserted that the ECP must conduct delimitations in a transparent manner, particularly considering the heightened sensitivity surrounding this process in Sindh. He acknowledged that many complaints regarding erroneous delimitations were originating from the province.
At one juncture, the CJP inquired about the ECP's plans for holding elections. However, the director-general (law) of the electoral body chose not to respond. Justice Bandial interpreted this as indicative of an absence of a definite date for the general elections, leading to a subtle exchange of smiles.
Consequently, Justice Bandial issued directives for the ECP to address all concerns ahead of the upcoming polls and referred the petition back to the electoral authority for resolution.
