New Census
ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Rana Sanaullah said that the PPP leaders knew that the approval of the new census would delay elections.
Rana stated this in response to PPP concerns about the delay in general elections due to fresh delimitations.
He pointed out that the PPP agreed to the approval of the Census during the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Thursday that the elections could not be held in 90 days due to the fresh delimitations process following the notification of the 2023 census. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) approved the Census.
However, PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami Senators criticized the ECP’s decision to postpone the polls for the purpose of implementing new delimitations. They argued that it was “unconstitutional” as the ECP is bound to hold elections in 90 days.
The PML-N leader explained that the CCI had agreed to the census notification in consensus with all stakeholders, including the PPP.
Sanaullah emphasized that holding the election based on the previous census would be unconstitutional.
He further elaborated that the rearrangement of constituencies is carried out subsequent to the census notification.
PPP leaders demand timely elections: New Census to delay polls
Following the ECP’s announcement of fresh delimitations, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has opposed the decision. PPP leaders stated that redrawing constituency boundaries is not a “constitutional requirement.”
This will result in a delay beyond the 90-day constitutional requirement for the country’s general elections, they added.
As outlined by the electoral body, the ECP schedule sets the process of fresh delimitation to last approximately four months, scheduled from September 8 to October 7.
PPP spokesperson Faisal Karim Kundi emphasized that the party has consistently advocated for elections to adhere to the Constitution.
He further added, “There is no constitutional requirement to do delimitations but there is a constitutional requirement to hold elections within 90 days.”
