ECP adds time box to Form-45

Presiding officers will clock results in next polls

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has introduced a major change in Form-45 for receiving results from the polling stations for the next general polls by adding a time box to the document along with the date.

After the amendment to the form, the presiding officers at the polling stations will also record the time of the results. The commission has invited suggestions in connection with the changes in Form-45. It added that suggestions or objections related to the changes in Form-45 could be filed till Oct 20.

The ECP continued that if no objections were filed by Oct 20, the changes in the form would be made part of the rules.

“In exercise of its powers conferred by Section 239 of the Elections Act, 2017 (Act No XXXIII of 2017), the Election Commission is pleased to make the following amendment in Form-45 namely: the end of Form-45, after the word Date............. the word time shall be inserted,” a notification issued by the ECP read.

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In another notification, the ECP wrote that the Elections Act, 2017 was promulgated on Oct 2, 2017 and its Section 239 empowered the commission to make rules for carrying the purposes of the law.

“[The] aforesaid Section 239 is reproduced as under: Power to make rules (1) The commission may, by notification in the official gazette and publication on the website of the commission, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (2) The commission shall make the rules under sub-section (1) subject to prior publication and after hearing and deciding objections or suggestions filed within 15 days of the publication,” it added.

“The Election Commission framed the Election Rules, 2017 in pursuance of Section 239 ibid and notified the same on Nov 9, 2021 and thereafter, in view of different scenarios and to resolve the predicaments arisen with time, the Election Commission has carried out various amendments in rules,” the notification continued.

“The present situation so warrants and it is expedient to carry out further amendments [to] Form-45. These amendments are required to be published for inviting objections or suggestions to be filed within 15 days of the publication which will be decided by the commission after hearing as aforesaid,” it further read.

“In exercise of its powers conferred under Section 239 of the Elections Act, 2017 and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Election Commission is pleased to publish the aforesaid draft amendments inviting objections or suggestions in respect of any amendment may be filed in ECP Secretariat, Islamabad by Oct 20, 2023 which will be decided by the commission after hearing. The draft amendments are being uploaded on the official website of the commission,” the notification concluded.

The ECP issued a third notification that read that it had approved the amendment to Form-45 of the Elections Rules, 2017 on recommendation of its legal reforms committee.

“It is now required to be published on website for 15 days for objections under Section 239 of the Elections Act, 2017,” it added.

“Therefore, you are requested to upload the amendment [to] Form-45 of the rules ibid on official website of Election Commission of Pakistan till Oct 25, 2023,” the notification further read.