Former interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan addressing a press conference in this undated image

KARACHI: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has raised concerns about the delay in general elections, prompting a response from former interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan. He stated that the party was well aware that the polls would be postponed, given the approval of the census in a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday that the elections would not be held within the next three months due to the need for fresh delimitations following the notification of the 2023 census, as decided by the CCI.

Senators from the PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have criticized the ECP's decision to postpone the elections for the purpose of conducting new delimitations, arguing that it is "unconstitutional" as the electoral body is obligated to hold elections within 90 days.

Speaking on the "Naya Pakistan" show on SM Point News, Rana Sanaullah acknowledged the PPP's objection to the election delay but emphasized that delimitation is a constitutional requirement once the census has been notified.

Sanaullah, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), explained that the CCI's decision to proceed with the census had the consensus of all stakeholders, including the PPP. He noted that all parties had previously agreed that the 2018 election was conducted based on the 2017 census and now it is constitutionally mandatory to hold elections based on the new census.

He cautioned that holding elections based on the old census would be unconstitutional and likely challenged in court. He further clarified that constituency boundaries are revised after census notifications and questioned whether the PPP was aware of Article 51, clause 5.

Sanaullah expressed his desire for elections to be held within 60 days instead of 90, expressing confidence in PML-N's position in Punjab. He speculated that elections could take place in February 2024 and suggested that the ECP announce the election schedule after completing delimitations by December 14.

Emphasizing the constitutional obligation for delimitation, Sanaullah maintained that while holding elections within 90 days is also a constitutional requirement, there is some flexibility in this provision.

The ECP has unveiled a schedule for the new delimitations in line with the recent CCI-approved census. This schedule indicates that the fresh delimitation process will take approximately four months, indicating that the general elections cannot be held within the standard 90-day period following the dissolution of provincial and national assemblies.

Socail Media Point Youtube Channel

Blog Topics