Candidates to apply afresh: Punjab, Sindh polling schedule cancelled
Delay in printing of ballot papers and non-availability of magnetic ink had resulted in a delay in the elections.
In Sindh, the provincial election commission has ordered all district returning officers to suspend the nomination process until a new poll scheduled is announced. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) finally won over the Supreme Court (SC) and bought itself time required to make arrangements for holding local government (LG) elections in the country.
The apex court’s recognition of difficulties faced by ECP was made possible by a recent justification letter by the commission to the SC registrar.
In the letter, ECP had proposed new dates for polling in Punjab and Sindh, according to which the local government polls in Punjab would be held on January 30, 2014 and in Sindh on January 18, 2014. The letter stated that polling in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and cantonment areas would be held during the month of February, 2014.
“The polling schedule for the provinces of Punjab (on December 7) and Sindh (on November 27) have been recalled and cancelled,” said ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan while addressing a press conference.
In order to make arrangements and meet the deadline, the commission had set for itself, the secretary said that the commission has convened a meeting of provincial chief secretaries, ministry of defence, ministry of law and justice, National Database and Registration Authority, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Pakistan Printing Corporation, Advocates General and other relevant departments on November 19. All the relevant departments will come up with their respective plans about their assignments, he added.
Responding to a question, he said that it is a constitutional responsibility of the ECP to hold elections in consultation with the provinces. However, the decision regarding announcing final date to hold elections rests with the commission.
Sources privy with the development told The Express Tribune that delay in printing of ballot papers and non-availability of magnetic ink had resulted in a delay in the elections. The sources added that while the printing corporation had a capacity of printing 10 million ballot papers a day, there was a need of around 110 million ballot papers for Sindh and some 300 million for Punjab.
Secretary ECP announced that contesting candidates would have to resubmit their nomination papers as Punjab would be holding party-based local government elections. Meanwhile, the process of holding local government elections on December 7, 2013 has already started in Balochistan, where the ECP has completed the scrutiny process for 22,289 nomination papers filed by contesting candidates. Objections on candidate nominations and appeals could be filed between November 13 and 16, whereas nominations can we withdrawn by November 19. The final list of candidates and their electoral signs will be issued by November 20.
In Sindh, the provincial election commission has ordered all district returning officers to suspend the nomination process until a new poll scheduled is announced.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2013.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) finally won over the Supreme Court (SC) and bought itself time required to make arrangements for holding local government (LG) elections in the country.
The apex court’s recognition of difficulties faced by ECP was made possible by a recent justification letter by the commission to the SC registrar.
In the letter, ECP had proposed new dates for polling in Punjab and Sindh, according to which the local government polls in Punjab would be held on January 30, 2014 and in Sindh on January 18, 2014. The letter stated that polling in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and cantonment areas would be held during the month of February, 2014.
“The polling schedule for the provinces of Punjab (on December 7) and Sindh (on November 27) have been recalled and cancelled,” said ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan while addressing a press conference.
In order to make arrangements and meet the deadline, the commission had set for itself, the secretary said that the commission has convened a meeting of provincial chief secretaries, ministry of defence, ministry of law and justice, National Database and Registration Authority, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Pakistan Printing Corporation, Advocates General and other relevant departments on November 19. All the relevant departments will come up with their respective plans about their assignments, he added.
Responding to a question, he said that it is a constitutional responsibility of the ECP to hold elections in consultation with the provinces. However, the decision regarding announcing final date to hold elections rests with the commission.
Sources privy with the development told The Express Tribune that delay in printing of ballot papers and non-availability of magnetic ink had resulted in a delay in the elections. The sources added that while the printing corporation had a capacity of printing 10 million ballot papers a day, there was a need of around 110 million ballot papers for Sindh and some 300 million for Punjab.
Secretary ECP announced that contesting candidates would have to resubmit their nomination papers as Punjab would be holding party-based local government elections. Meanwhile, the process of holding local government elections on December 7, 2013 has already started in Balochistan, where the ECP has completed the scrutiny process for 22,289 nomination papers filed by contesting candidates. Objections on candidate nominations and appeals could be filed between November 13 and 16, whereas nominations can we withdrawn by November 19. The final list of candidates and their electoral signs will be issued by November 20.
In Sindh, the provincial election commission has ordered all district returning officers to suspend the nomination process until a new poll scheduled is announced.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2013.