KP Election Commission working on delimitation of ex-Fata constituencies

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of the Election Commission of Pakistan is likely to finalise delimitation of the provincial assembly constituencies in the erstwhile tribal agencies, now the districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where elections for the provincial assembly are to be held by the end of May 2019.

As per amendments to the Constitution (25th Amendment), the former tribal agencies would be given representation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, for which elections would be held in 2019. During his recent visit to Peshawar, President Dr Arif Alvi had asked Election Commission of Pakistan to hold elections in the erstwhile Fata in May next year.

Deputy Director Election Commission of Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Khushal Zada, told The News that they have already started delimitation process. By the end of this year, December 31, a preliminary list for 16 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly general seats in the new districts of the province would be published.

“There would be 16 general seats, four reserved seats for women and one special seat of minorities in the provincial assembly for the former tribal and semi-tribal agencies and regions,” he added.

The official said that after issuing the preliminary list, one month would be specified to receive appeals/objections from January 1 to 31, 2019 wherein the Elections Commission would hear appeals and settle the claims by end of March.

A final list of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly constituencies in the new districts would be finalised by March 4, 2019, and then elections schedule be issued for the polls to be held in April or May next year, he added.

About the local government elections promised to be held in the erstwhile tribal agencies, the official said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would settle down village councils, neighbourhood councils and wards for the new districts and then the Election Commission would hold polls there.

However, he said, the provincial government would make amendments for the upcoming local government elections, which are likely to be held at the same time throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the official sources, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has proposed 702 village and neighbourhood councils for the newly emerged districts, former tribal agencies and Frontier Regions.

The division of tribal districts into village and neighbourhood councils was a prerequisite for the implementation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013.

According to the preliminary report, the seven tribal districts consist of 702 councils, including 628 village and 74 neighbourhood councils.

Syed Khushal Zada said that under 25th Amendment to the Constitution, there would be fresh delimitation for National Assembly and Provincial Assembly constituencies in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the erstwhile tribal areas.