ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday changed the date for the Senate polls from March 3 to March 5, giving more time for the scrutiny of candidates’ nomination papers.
As per the schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Feb 19-20 while filing of appeals on acceptance or rejection of the papers will be on Feb 23-24, followed by disposal of appeals on Feb 26-27.
The last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is Feb 28 and on the same date, the final list of candidates will be issued and polling will be held on March 5.Earlier, hearing for and against acceptance of nomination papers was to be held on Feb 20-21 while the withdrawal of nomination papers was fixed for Feb 25 and on the same day, the final list of candidates was to be released.
Members of the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies will elect senators to of term of the senators. It is pertinent to mention that the legislators, belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will not take part in voting barring its lawmakers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
Meanwhile, the ECP has rejected the petition filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan seeking suspension of the NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq till the time the judgment regarding NA-122 is announced.
The ECP contended that it had no powers to suspend the NA speaker and said that the election tribunal was competent to do so.Imran had filed a petition with the tribunal concerned seeking audit of votes in Lahore’s NA-122.
Online adds: Meanwhile, ECP decided to take help from the Ministry of Interior, Nadra, FBR and NAB to scrutinise nomination papers of the candidates vying for Senate elections to make the process transparent and fair.
ECP spokesperson said that the decision in this regard was taken to involve the departments concerned in the scrutiny process to make the elections more credible so that unscrupulous elements could not make it to the Upper House.