ECP recommends Punjab, KP governments hold elections in April

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday recommended the caretaker governments of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to hold provincial elections from April 9-13 and April 15-17, respectively.

Earlier in January, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led provincial governments in Punjab and KP were dissolved by their chief ministers on the orders of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who hoped the move would pave the way for fresh elections.

Subsequently, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi became the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab while Azam Khan was sworn in as caretaker CM of KP.

In letters addressed to the principal secretaries to the governor of both provinces, the ECP recommended holding elections in April, citing Article 224 of the Constitution that states that elections for a dissolved assembly should take place within 90 days.

As per the article, “when the National Assembly or a Provincial Assembly is dissolved, a general election to the Assembly shall be held within a period of ninety days after the dissolution, and the results of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days after the conclusion of the polls.”

The electoral body said Punjab elections should be held before April 13 while told KP elections should be held before April 17.

On January 12, former information minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry announced that Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi had dissolved the provincial assembly, adding that a summary in this regard had been sent to Governor Baligh Ur Rehman.

On January 18, KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali signed the summary sent by then chief minister Mahmood Khan advising him to dissolve the provincial assembly. The governor asked Mahmood Khan to continue as chief minister until the caretaker set-up is finalised.