Major reforms approved in Elections Bill 2017

Bill has amalgamated eight existing laws into one bill, dividing it in 15 chapters with 241 sections

The parliamentary committee on electoral reforms has approved the Elections Bill 2017, due to be tabled in the house and become an act.

The committee formed in August 2014 was tasked to work on a new bill, and present it within three months. However, the bill kept delaying on until recently.

According to the executive summary of the bill available with The Express Tribune, the committee successfully managed to bring all the laws related to the election under one bill. It has amalgamated eight existing laws into a bill, dividing it in 15 chapters with 241 sections.



If approved and transformed into an Act, it will result in certain constitutional amendments to make the process of elections smooth and transparent.

Main features of the bill include autonomy of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), delimiting of constituencies after each census, making the electoral disputes resolution system more expeditious and result-oriented, and starting media campaigns for registration of female voters.