Islamabad (Web Desk): The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday again urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make arrangements for holding the general elections on time.
According to details, the PPP reiterated its demand following a meeting with Chief CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The electoral the ECP has been holding consultations with various parties on the electoral roadmap in recent days.
The consultations are being held against the backdrop of the ECP ruling out elections this year, while the 90-day limit for holding polls, mandated under Article 224 of the Constitution, ends on November 9.
As per the ECP decision to push elections beyond November 9 on the basis of the notification of results of the new digital 2023 census and Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states:
“The commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.”
In line with this requirement, the electoral body has said the process of fresh delimitation is expected to be completed by December 14, over a month beyond the constitutionally mandated deadline for conducting general elections.
However, the PPP asserted after today’s meeting with the ECP that Article 224 of the Constitution mandated a timeframe for elections following an assembly’s dissolution and that it should be acted upon.
Addressing a press conference following the meeting, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman said that the party delegation had a meeting with the ECP in a pleasant environment during which they put all reservations.
"It is the ECP's responsibility to conduct the elections, however, the Constitution says the polls should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly," she said.
Speaking on the ocassion, PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari said that the Constitution says elections should be conducted within the given time period, adding that it is very important to give a date for elections.
He said that the ECP heard our stance and will inform us about the polls after a meeting.
Bukhari said that the PPP will finalise its next action plan in the CEC meeting in Lahore," said Bukhari.
Besides Sherry Rehman, Bukhari, Faisal Karim Kundi, Syed Murad Ali Shah and Naveed Qamar were also a part of the PPP delegation that met ECP officials today.
Meanwhile, the ECP is in continuous consultations with the political parties.
The electoral watchdog has already held consultations with the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), A day earlier, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
The PPP is the only party from among those part of an erstwhile Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led ruling coalition in the Centre that has called for giving precedence to the 90-day constitutional requirement over the requirement for delimitation.
