Election Commission: Deadline for submitting party accounts

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday issued a reminder to all political parties wishing to contest the next general election that the deadline for receiving financial accounts details is Monday (tomorrow). The reminder stated that all parties are required under the 2002 Political Parties Order to submit detailed financial accounts every year within 60 days of the close of the federal fiscal year on June 30. A failure to submit such accounts can result in a party being barred from being issued an election symbol, effectively banning them from contesting in the elections. The next general elections are expected in May 2013. However, the Senate elections are coming up in March 2012 and are expected to have a significant impact on the national political spectrum, though Senate elections do not rely on the popular vote.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2011.