Cause for concern

With the electoral panjandrum set to roll towards 25^th of July several late items for consideration have emerged in recent days. They need addressing and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) met on Saturday, June 2^nd in an attempt to iron out the wrinkles, quickly deciding that it would approach the Supreme Court to question recent verdicts by the Lahore and Balochistan high courts, two of which may impact negatively on the holding of a timely poll.

Two matters are preeminent. The Balochistan High Court had declared the delimitation of eight provincial constituencies in Quetta district null and void. There are other cases pending in respect of delimitation linked as it is to the yet-to-be-released final census figures. The second is a blatant attempt by the now ex-parliamentarians to modify the nomination papers — or ‘simplify’ them as the members would have it — in such a way as to prevent the public from knowing a raft of information about the aspirant candidates. These include their nationality, income from a range of sources, criminal convictions if any and taxation status. Considering the brouhaha that surrounded the Panama Papers it is perhaps hardly surprising that the candidates would seek to limit information about themselves which is in the public domain. The ECP has lobbed the ball to the SC which is going to have to move fast and decisively if the brakes are not to go on and the ECP itself has decided not to accept nomination forms until June 4^th.

The ‘simplified’ nomination forms were a rat quickly smelled by the ECP and interesting exclusions from the nomination forms are duly declared unconstitutional. This is going to potentially mean a re-print of the forms, a job not to be done overnight. As for the issue of delimitation that is going to be a hard nut to crack particularly if there are more appeals against the boundary changes and not only in Quetta. There are three or four days — at most — wiggle room in the election schedule but no more. The heat is on literally and metaphorically and we hope for a swift conclusion.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2018.

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