Elections in K-P on Oct 8, announces ECP

Commission issues notification to convey its decision

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified October 8 as the date for elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The ECP conveyed its decision through a notification, dated March 27, available with The Express Tribune.

“In pursuance of [the] dissolution of [the] Provincial Assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on 18th January 2023, order dated 1st March 2023 passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Suo Motu Case No. [1] of 2023, Constitution[al] Petition No. [1] & 2 of 2023 and appointment of … date for the conduct of general elections to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by the Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as 8th October, 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby notifies 8th October, 2023 as [the] poll[s] date for the General Elections to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” it read.

“The Election Programme for election[s] under Section 57(2) of the Elections Act, 2017 will be issued in due course of time,” it added.

On Friday, K-P Governor Haji Ghulam Ali had proposed the date of October 8 for elections in his province too.

He wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, fixing the date for the K-P Assembly election.

The governor also mentioned a deteriorating law and order situation in the province.

Last Wednesday, the ECP had delayed the election in Punjab until October 8 on the grounds that it could not conduct transparent and peaceful polls on the scheduled date of April 30.

In an eight-page order, the ECP said  it could not hold the elections in Punjab “honestly, justly and fairly in a peaceful manner due to security threats [and] in the absence of funds” and being unable to provide “level-playing field” to all political parties.

However, the PTI, which had dissolved its government in both the provinces in a bid to ratchet up pressures against the ruling coalition to announce early elections, moved the Supreme Court against the ECP’s move.

The party maintained that the ECP’s move “is in violation of the Constitution as well as the apex court order”.

The PTI petition added that the party has approached the SC as “the matter involved in the petition is of public importance with reference to enforcement of fundamental rights of the millions of people of Pakistan, particularly the people of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa”.

A day earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial had observed that the ECP had no right to postpone the Punjab Assembly elections.

A five-member larger bench, headed by CJP Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail heard the case.

The PTI is likely to challenge the ECP’s decision to hold the elections in K-P in the SC as well.