ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday announced that it will begin hearing objections on the delimitation of constituencies starting November 1.
The commission has appointed two benches to handle the proceedings. The first bench, set to operate on November 1, will hear objections to the delimitation of several districts, including Islamabad, Shikarpur, Khuzdar, Sialkot, and Rajanpur.
Meanwhile, the second bench will handle objections related to constituencies in Kurram, Attock, Jhelum, Nankana Sahib, Kohat, and Korangi districts. On November 2, the ECP will continue to hear objections on the delimitations of various districts, including Malir, Sanghar, Swat, Haripur, Chakwal, and Pishin.
In addition, objections will also be addressed regarding the delimitation of districts such as Mardan, Karachi East, Musa Khel, Lodhran, and Hub.
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It is pertinent to note that a total of 680 objections have been submitted to the ECP. A day earlier, it confirmed that the upcoming polls would not be delayed, stating that a schedule will be issued once the delimitation of constituencies is finalised.
Following the completion of the first phase of the delimitation process, the ECP spokesman stated that the second phase would be concluded after objections to the preliminary delimitations were raised.
He reassured that there is no ambiguity in the ECP’s decisions, and all necessary preparations for the elections have been completed.
The ECP will consider all objections before finalising the delimitation process and publishing a list expected by the end of next month.
Separately, the ECP also announced that it will hold hearings on two important cases in the coming days.
According to the cause list released, the ECP has scheduled a hearing for the PTI prohibited funding case on November 1. During this hearing, the electoral watchdog will carefully review the evidence pertaining to the political party’s alleged foreign funding, which is prohibited under the law.
In addition, the ECP will hear the case regarding the removal of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister in the caretaker cabinet on October 31.
Meanwhile, in an effort to provide convenience to the general public, ECP has decided to keep all field offices open on Saturday. This decision allows the public to address any concerns they have regarding vote registration, transfer, exclusion, and the correctness of data during official working hours.
The spokesman for the electoral watchdog shared that the period for registration, transfer, exit, and data validation will remain open until October 28. To ensure a smooth process, the four provincial election commissioners have been given the necessary instructions to assist the public in these matters.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023