ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected to announce the timeframe for delimitation of constituencies afresh soon, following approval of final results of the digital census 2023, ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources.
Sources told ARY News that a meeting of electoral watchdog was held under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan to deliberate on matters related to newly held census and delimitation of constituencies.
The meeting was attended by election commission secretary, legal team and provincial members of the commission. During the meeting, the legal team briefed the participants on the results of digital census 2023.
Sources claimed that the legal team proposed the ECP to start process of delimitation of constituencies. Delimitation is inevitable for general elections following the approval of results of census 2023, sources said quoting legal team.
Sources further said that the election commission is likely to announce timeframe of delimitation of constituencies afresh in the next couple of days.
Read More: General elections likely to be held in Feb 2024: Raja Riaz
‘Elections likely to be delayed’
The upcoming general elections in the country will likely be delayed as the Council of Common Interest (CCI) “unanimously” approved the 2023 census.
Outgoing Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Rana Sanaullah also hinted at possible delay in holding of general elections.
“I do believe that elections will be held in November. But you asked me if there is a possibility of delay: There is a possibility of a delay but not more than a couple of months on technical grounds,” Khawaja Asif said.
When asked whether the approval of the 2023 census would result in an election delay, Khawaja Asif said: “I cannot speculate at the moment but it is a possibility. I won’t rule that out.”
On the other hand, Rana Sanaullah said that the general elections would be held in the third week of February or the first week of March after new delimitations.
Sanaullah said that fresh delimitation is a constitutional requirement. “The general elections would be held in the third week of February or the first week of March after new delimitations.”
He added that the delimitation process would be completed in December 2023.
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