Pakistan’s Election Commission on Tuesday said it would fulfill its responsibility of holding general elections in the country, if necessary. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday surprised opposition parties by recommending mid-term elections after the deputy speaker of the National Assembly rejected a no-confidence motion against him. Khan then asked Pakistan President Arif Alvi to dissolve the 342-member National Assembly before his term ends in August 2023.
The Election Commission will fulfill its responsibility under the Constitution and the law. Pakistan’s Election Commission (ECP) spokesperson said preparations would be reviewed in the event of a general election, even as the Supreme Court is hearing a case against Prime Minister Khan over rejection of a no-confidence vote . The Express Tribune newspaper quoted an ECP spokesperson as saying that there is no truth in reports that the next general election cannot be held in three months. Earlier in a tweet, the commission said that it is necessary to clarify that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued any statement regarding the election.
The ECP’s clarification comes after media reports that the commission would not be able to hold general elections in three months due to some procedural and legal challenges. Dawn newspaper quoted a senior ECP official as saying that due to the new delimitation of constituencies, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the number of seats was increased under the 26th Amendment, and district and constituency wise The voter list was to be brought into line. Preparations for the general election will take some six months.
The report quoted the official as saying that the delimitation is a time-consuming exercise, where the law only gives one month to invite objections. The official said procurement of election material, arrangement of ballot papers and appointment and training of polling personnel were among other inherent challenges.
Meanwhile, expressing serious concern over recent political developments and the ensuing constitutional crisis, the Free and Fair Election Network (Phafen), an independent non-governmental body, identified a number of constitutional, legal and operational challenges to the conduct of early elections. Is. While the constitutionality of the measures leading to the dissolution of the National Assembly will be decided by the Supreme Court, Pfaffen expects an early decision by the top court, which took suo moto cognizance of the matter, as any delay will continue to earn collateral. . Issues arising out of constitutional deadlock.
The public confusion and political divisions that have already arisen can potentially translate into violent expression. In a statement released on Monday, Pfaffen said political parties have a greater responsibility to manage their workers and ensure that political dissent does not turn into violence, especially before elections.
According to the organisation, an early election may not be a smooth process given the many constitutional and legal complexities. The crucial factor for the legitimacy of any election will be the completion of the Election Commission, stating that the ECP members of Punjab and KP are yet to be appointed. The report said Pfaffen said he has always urged the need for electoral reforms through political consensus because majoritarian changes in election law always pose challenges to the legitimacy of election results and political stability.
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