By Asim Yasin in The News, August 19, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had demanded that the Election Commission reconsider its decision in light of Article 224 to hold the elections within 90 days and said any delimitation without changing the existing constitution of NA, PA seats should proceed swiftly allowing the election to take place within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
Vice President of PPP Parliamentarians Senator Sherry Rehman responded to the ECP’s schedule for conducting constituency delimitation and called for general elections to be held within the designated timeframe. “The recent announcement by the Election Commission, indicating that the delimitation of constituencies according to the new census will take four months, is a matter of significant concern and disappointment,” she said. She said the early dissolution of the assemblies was also strategically aimed at providing ample time to the Election Commission of Pakistan for the preparations.
Sherry Rehman said the PPP had endorsed elections under the new census in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting because it was agreed that existing seats would remain unchanged, ensuring no unnecessary postponement of elections. She said Pakistan People’s Party consented to conduct general elections based on the new census, despite our valid reservations about the digital census. She said as the current national and provincial seats remain unaltered, the delimitation should proceed swiftly, ideally allowing the election to take place within a 90-day timeframe.”We, along with our supporters, were anticipating the election date, not the delimitation schedule,” she said.
The Senator said any delay in the elections would further contribute to political uncertainty and instability in the country, which is something we cannot afford. “We demand that the Election Commission duly announce the election date in accordance with the provisions of Article 224 of the constitution. Our constitution binds the ECP to conduct general elections within 90 days of dissolution. However, there is no constitutional requirement for conducting delimitation,” Sherry concluded.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1101683-ppp-demands-elections-under-article-224
