ECP reviews objections to delimitations

Polls supervisory body instituted two benches for hearing of objections to preliminary delimitation of constituencies

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday heard objections to preliminary delimitations on more than 20 constituencies of the National Assembly and 40 constituencies of the provincial assemblies for the upcoming general elections. The final list of constituencies will be released on November 30.

The polls supervisory body had invited objections from registered voters after publishing the list of preliminary delimitations on September 27 after rearranging electoral districts across the country in light of the 2023 digital census.

It had set October 27 as the deadline for receiving objection, stating that it would decide on these representations after hearing the positions of the respective parties and set one-month time to decide the representations.

On Friday, the polls supervisory body had instituted two benches for hearing of objections to the preliminary delimitation of constituencies on November 1 and 2.

On Wednesday, the hearing of objections started at the commission’s Central Secretariat in Islamabad.

The first bench comprised chief election commissioner and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa member Justice (retd) Ikramullah.
The bench heard seven objections from National Assembly constituency 46, 47 and 48 in Islamabad. Former MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz also raised objections.

Eleven objections were heard from NA constituencies 190, 191, 192 and 193 in Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore whereas 16 objections were heard from Sindh Assembly from constituencies 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9.

Meanwhile, the bench heard one objection from Sialkot district NA constituency 73 and 15 objections from Punjab Assembly constituencies 44, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51.

A total of 12 objections were heard from Balochistan Assembly constituencies 18, 19, 20, 22 and 23 in Khuzdar.
From Rajanpur, one objection was heard from NA-187 and four objections from Punjab Assembly constituencies 292 and 294.

The second bench heard four objections from K-P constituencies 95 and 96 in Kurram and 24 objections from constituencies 69, 70 and 71 from Khyber.

Three objections were heard from NA constituencies 111 and 112 in Nankana Sahib and 11 were heard from PP-111, 113, 133, 134 and 135.

From Attock, one objection was heard from NA constituencies 49 and 50 whereas two objections were heard from PP-1, 2 and 3 of the provincial assembly.

From Jhelum, seven objections were heard from NA-60 and 61 and two from PP-24, 25 and 26.

The bench heard two objections from NA-35 Kohat and six from PK-90, 91 and 92. From Korangi NA-233 and 234, one objection was heard whereas one was heard from PS-94 and 95.

According to the cause list issued by the ECP, the first bench will hold hearing of objections to delimitations carried out in Malir, Sanghar, Swat, Haripur, Chakwal, Talagang, Pishin and Ziarat on November 2 (today) whereas the second bench will hear the objections concerning Mardan, Karachi East, Musakhel, Lodhran, Naushero Feroz, Hub and Lasbela.

It is pertinent to mention here that IPP leader Jahangir Tareen from Lodhran submitted objections to 154, 155 constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies and 226 and 227 constituencies of the provincial assembly.
The ECP will release final list of delimitation of constituencies on November 30.

A total of 1,324 objections were raised on the delimitation of constituencies from across the country, while 672 objections were raised from Punjab.

The commission is expected be decide on the objections raised on the delimitation of constituencies in the next few days.