Will elections be held on time?

LAHORE - Whether the general elections can be held or not on July 25, the date set by the president, has become a question mark due to litigation on delimitations in a number of districts and introduction of new nomination papers in accordance with the parliament decision, a move the Election Commission of Pakistan terms an encroachment on its jurisdiction.

To meet the target of giving at least 25 days for electioneering, the ECP will have to remove hurdles of settling the issues of delimitations, nomination papers, placement of caretaker set-ups in the provinces and give election schedule by the end of first week of June.

If the previous election schedule is anything to go by, at least 25 days are needed to complete the process from filing of nomination papers to display of final list of candidates. As such final list of candidates should be displayed before or on June 30 to give 25 days for election campaign. At least seven days are needed for filing of nomination papers, same number of days for scrutiny of papers, three days for filing appeals against decision of ROs, seven days for deciding appeals by tribunals, one day for withdrawal of candidature and display of final list on the next day.

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The target could only be achieved if all the hurdles, including delimitations, nomination papers and placement of caretaker set-ups in the provinces, are overcome during the next five to six days.

Doubts about adherence to this date have arisen in view of the litigation in courts and withdrawal of the names of caretaker chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Provincial legislature in KP has completed its tenure and as such the opposition leader has ceased to exist. Opposition leader slot in the Punjab will be no more by midnight on Thursday (today).

A petition challenging the new nomination papers for the elections is to be decided by the Lahore High Court. The petitioner says the forms have been approved by the parliament which is the prerogative of the ECP under the constitution. He has suggested amendment in these forms and restoration of the previous ones which contain all vital information.

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Constituencies re-demarcated by the ECP in several districts have also been nullified by the courts after which the poll body will have to carry out the exercise afresh.

The Balochistan home minister, through a resolution in the provincial legislature, has also sought delay in the elections for a month because of monsoon and the absence of a large number of Pakistanis from the country for performing Hajj.

Dispelling the impression of a possible delay in the general elections due to Islamabad High Court’s verdict nullifying delimitation of constituencies in several districts, the ECP has expressed resolve of holding polls on the given date after settling all the issues. The ECP is likely to announce schedule for filing nominations, scrutiny of papers by returning officers, appeals against rejection/acceptance of papers by tribunals, withdrawal of papers and display of final list of candidates during the first week of the coming month.