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After months of uncertainty, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially informed the Supreme Court that the general elections will take place on February 11. This announcement came during the Supreme Court’s hearing of several petitions calling for elections to be held within 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
A three-judge bench, including Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, and Justice Athar Minallah, addressed the petitions brought by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the PTI, Munir Ahmad, and Ibad-ur-Rehman.
During the hearing, CJP Isa inquired about the electoral body’s position on the election schedule. The ECP’s lawyer, Sajeel Swati, explained that there was a 54-day schedule after the delimitation process, and all preparations, including constituency mapping, would be completed by January 29. He also mentioned that the final list of constituencies would be published on December 5.
Previously: ECP Announces January 2024 Date For General Elections
Sajeel Swati further informed the court that the ECP intended to hold the elections on a Sunday for the convenience of the public and had decided on February 11, the second Sunday of February, as the election date.
CJP Isa asked whether President Arif Alvi had been consulted in this matter, to which Swati responded that they were not obliged to involve the president. This response raised the chief justice’s concerns, and he instructed the ECP to discuss the matter with President Alvi later that day.
Following a short recess, Swati informed the court that the ECP would consult with the president. CJP Isa emphasized that the election date should be implemented without any further disputes, focusing on a resolution rather than getting entangled in technicalities.
Secretary Omar Hamid Khan later confirmed that the consultation with the president would occur soon.
Also Read: Controversy Ignited By Pakistan Interim PM Kakar’s Election Remarks
Former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad praised the decision, considering it a significant constitutional and legal step. He noted that the ECP would complete delimitations by the end of November and expected the election schedule to be issued by mid-December. He emphasized that the ECP was bound to follow the Supreme Court’s guidelines and suggested that the February 11 date was unlikely to change.
Kanwar Dilshad also pointed out that holding elections on February 11, a Sunday, was favorable due to better weather conditions after the dissipation of snow and fog.
He further speculated that Senate elections would likely take place on March 5-6, followed by the election of the president after March 15-16.
Meanwhile, PPP’s Shazia Marri viewed the announcement as a victory for democracy and the constitution, and urged the ECP to formally announce the election date, considering it an outcome of court proceedings rather than an official declaration.
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