Delimitation as per 2017 census: NA general seats reduced from 342 to 336

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in its report on initial delimitation of constituencies has reduced National Assembly seats from 342 to 336. The delimitation has been done as per the 2017 census.

Punjab’s share in the legislature has been cut by 10 seats, from 183 to 173, general seats cut from 148 to 141, whereas women seats reduced from 35 to 32. Sindh’s representation in the National Assembly remains unchanged as per the draft report of the new delimitation, i.e. 75 seats, 61 general and 14 women seats. 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the major beneficiary of the new exercise against the backdrop of the merger of tribal areas which previously had 12 NA seats. KP had 35 general and eight women seats (43 total seats) previously, whereas now its tally has gone up to 55 seats with 45 general and 10 women seats.

Likewise, Balochistan has increased its representation in the lower house of the parliament with 16 general and four women seats (20 seats) while previously, it had 14 NA constituencies and three women seats in the legislature. Islamabad Capital Territory has also gained one general seat and now it has three NA seats. Hence, the women reserved seats remain unchanged as well as the seats reserved for non-Muslims, i.e. 10.

As per the draft report, the Punjab Assembly consists of 371 seats, including 297 general seats, followed by the Sindh Assembly with a total of 168 seats including 130 general seats, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly with 145 seats including 115 general seats and the Balochistan Assembly with 65 seats including 51 general seats.

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan published the report of the initial delimitation of constituencies, including Form 5, for awareness of public and it can be viewed on the website www.ecp.gov.pk. The publication of constituencies will be done from June 1 to June 30. Objections to initial constituencies (representations) can be made by a voter of the constituency concerned. These representations will be in the name of the ECP secretary and can be submitted to the Election Commission Secretariat by June 30. The commission will take decisions on these objections (representations) from July 1 to 30, after hearing the stance of the parties concerned. It is necessary to submit objections (representations).

The submitter of representations should be a voter of the constituency concerned. Representations in the form of memorandum in the name of the ECP secretary will have to be submitted. The voter concerned will sign the memorandum. He himself will submit his representation to the centre set up in the Election Commission Secretariat. Eight copies of representations and maps will have to be submitted to the commission. District maps can be obtained by paying the required price from the ECP. Representations by courier, mail and fax, etc. will not be acceptable. Under Rule 12 of the Elections Rules 2017, representations must be submitted.

In a related development, a meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan was held under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. It was attended by ECP members and officers. The ECP secretary briefed the forum on revision of ongoing electoral rolls in the country and publication of preliminary electoral rolls at display centres. On this occasion, the commission ordered all the provincial election commissioners to provide all possible facilities to people during the display of electoral rolls, identity and accuracy of eligible voters and if any voter wants to change his vote according to the permanent or temporary address of his ID card. And they should also be made aware of necessary procedures.

The commission was also briefed on holding municipal elections in the provinces. It expressed satisfaction over the conduct of elections in Balochistan on May 29 and ordered strict legal action with reference to six polling stations where incidents of undue interference in the election process, snatching of election goods, burning of ballot papers and hostage-taking of polling staff took place. The commission ordered that the schedule for LG elections in the federal capital be released immediately.

Meanwhile, ECP Secretary Omar Hameed on Tuesday said holding free, fair, impartial, peaceful and successful municipal elections in 32 out of 34 districts of Balochistan indicated that the people of Balochistan were peaceful and democratic.

“Ignoring the threats of anti-state and anti-social elements, a large number of people of Balochistan made history by exercising their right to franchise. The ECP is grateful for the cooperation of the people of Balochistan, the law-enforcement agencies, the Balochistan government, the media and all the candidates for holding peaceful elections,” he noted and pointed out that the final results had been announced and so far no major political party objected to the results that was a major success of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The term of local bodies in Balochistan, he said, ended in January 2019 and before and after the completion of the legal term of local bodies, the ECP had been taking all possible steps to ensure that local elections are held in the province and all the provincial governments, including the government of Balochistan, had been doing everything possible to ensure the importance of local bodies and the conduct of elections.