ISLAMABAD: Just over two weeks after postponing the by-elections on eight National Assembly and provincial assemblies’ seats till January 31 next year on NCOC’s recommendation, the ECP on Thursday announced to hold by-polls forthwith on these eights seats on the demand of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its Sindh government without consulting the federal government, all the other three provinces and any other political party except PPP.

The decision was taken in a meeting presided over by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja attended by senior ECP officials as well as PPP leader Taj Haider, Sindh CM’s Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab and other senior government officials. No representative from the federal government and other three provincial governments attended the meeting.

A press release from ECP quoted Taj Haider as saying in the meeting that ECP is constitutionally bound to hold by-election on any seat of National Assembly or any provincial assembly within 60 days of its falling vacant.

Taj also said the electoral college of Senate comprises of National Assembly and provincial assemblies’ seats and eight seats where by-elections have been postponed would be deprived of representation in Senate elections.

“Recently, elections have been held in Gilgit-Baltistan. And most importantly, the United States where the spread of Covid-19 is recoded at highest and largest scales, the presidential elections were held,” the ECP press release said.

It quoted the PPP leader and Sindh government’s law adviser as having assured the Commission that all the SOPs would be followed if by-elections are immediately held on vacant seats.

The ECP admitted in the press release that Punjab and KP governments recommended postponing the by-polls while Sindh and Balochistan recommended holding by-polls.

The ECP, in the meeting, decided to hold by-polls on eight seats and instructed its offices to start making arrangements for the issuance of by-polls’ schedule, the press release added.

On the first of this month, the ECP had announced postponing by-polls on eight seats till January 31 next year on the recommendation of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in the backdrop of rapid spread of Covid-19 across the country. These seats include three seats of Sindh Assembly, two seats of National Assembly (one each from Punjab and KP), and one seat each of Punjab, KP and Balochistan Assemblies. The ECP had announced to review the situation again on January 31, 2021, but it announced on Thursday to hold by-polls forthwith on these eight seats on the recommendation of PPP and Sindh government without incorporating the input of any other province and the centre.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020