ISLAMABAD: The PPP again called for holding polls within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period following the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) on August 9, demanding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announce the schedule for the polls.
The party reiterated its demand following a meeting with the electoral watchdog at its secretariat in Islamabad where the ECP has been holding consultations with various parties on the electoral roadmap in recent days.
The consultations are being held against the backdrop of the ECP ruling out elections this year, while the 90-day limit for holding polls mandated under Article 224 of the Constitution, ends on November 9.
The ECP reasons its decision to push elections beyond November 9 on the basis of the notification of results of the new digital 2023 census and Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states: “The commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.”
In line with this requirement, the ECP has said the process of fresh delimitation is expected to be completed by December 14, over a month beyond the constitutionally mandated deadline for conducting general elections.
However, the PPP asserted after today’s meeting with the ECP that Article 224 of the Constitution mandated a timeframe for elections following an assembly’s dissolution and that it should be acted upon.
“The stance we adopted today is that the PPP wants the ECP to announce a new election date and the schedule for it. There is restlessness in the nation, and it is very important that a new election date and schedule is announced,” said PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari while speaking to the media.
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