SC moved against possible delay in upcoming general elections

Islamabad: A petition on Monday was moved to the Supreme Court (SC) protesting the delay in the 2023 general elections following the census.

The petition, filed by the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Abid Zuberi, addresses the postponement of the general elections after the completion of the delimitation process.

In a prior announcement, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had voiced its intention to resort to legal action if the forthcoming general elections were deferred.

PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi emphasized the party's rejection of the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision regarding the delimitation schedule. He insisted that any delay in the general elections was unacceptable.

It's worth noting that the Election Commission of Pakistan had clarified that holding the general elections within a 90-day timeframe was not feasible. Consequently, the ECP proposed that the upcoming general elections align with the 2023 census.

The ECP outlined its commitment to executing the delimitation process, revealing that the initial publication would occur on October 9, while the final version would be released on December 14.

To facilitate the delimitation process, the ECP has sought cooperation from provincial governments and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Administrative measures are set for completion by August 31, with nationwide delimitation scheduled from September 8 to October 7.

Delimitation committees are to be constituted by August 21, and concerns regarding the process can be submitted between October 10 and November 8. The ECP has allocated a four-month window for the delimitation procedures.