PPP calls upon ECP to announce elections date

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman has called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to duly announce the election date in accordance with the provisions of Article 224 of Constitution. “Our Constitution binds the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct general elections within 90 days of dissolution of the National Assembly, however, there is no constitutional requirement for conducting delimitation,” Rehman said, urging the ECP to announce the election date to fulfil the constitutional obligations of holding elections in the country within 90 days.

Senator Sherry Rehman said the PPP endorsed the election under the new census in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting after it was agreed that the existing seats will not be changed. Despite legitimate concerns over the digital census, they agreed to hold the general elections based on new census. “Since there will be no change in the existing national and provincial seats, the process of delimitation should be completed quickly,” she said.

She said the Constitution obliges the ECP to hold general elections within 90 days of the dissolution of National Assembly. “We request the ECP to announce the date of elections as per Article 224 of the Constitution,” she said.

While in a joint statement, senators Waqar Mehdi and Palwasha Khan said general elections within 90 days is a constitutional requirement and it is the constitutional responsibility of ECP to fulfill the constitutional requirements.

They said the delimitation of constituencies is not a constitutional obstacle to elections within 90 days. Not holding the general elections within 90 days will be a violation of the Constitution. “We just have to follow the Constitution,” they declared.