ECP cancels enlistment of 284 political parties

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday cancelled the enlistment of 284 political parties for not fulfilling the commission’s requirements of proving that they have membership of at least 2,000 persons.

The parties who have been de-listed include MQM, PML-F, Sunni Tehreek and others.

According to a ECP notification, in pursuance of Section 202 (2) of Elections Act 2017, all enlisted political parties were required to submit with ECP a list of at least 2,000 members with their signatures or thumb impressions along with copies of their national identity cards and Rs200,000 as enlistment fee.



Section 202 (2) reads: “The application for enlistment shall be accompanied by a copy of the constitution of the political party, the certificate and the information required to be submitted— a copy of consolidated statement of its accounts — a list of at least two thousand members with their signatures or thumb impressions along with copies of their National Identity Cards, and proof of deposit of two hundred thousand rupees in favour of the Commission in the Government Treasury as enlistment fee.”

Only 68 parties including PML-N, PPP and PTI have fulfilled the said requirement.

The political parties whose enlistment has been cancelled can meet the requirements laid down in the section 202 (2) and get their enlistment restored. Their enlistment has been cancelled in the light of Section 202 (5) of the Elections Act 2017. It reads: “If an enlisted political party fails to file the documents under sub-section (2) within the time stipulated under sub-section (4), the Commission shall cancel the enlistment of the political party after affording an opportunity of being heard to that political party.”

The aggrieved political parties have the right to move Supreme Court within 30 days against ECP’s decision.