ECP bound to carry out delimitation of constituencies afresh under new census
ISLAMABAD: The general elections in the country are likely to delay for several months following the approval of the digital census by the Council of Common Interests. The development constitutionally binds Election Commission of Pakistan to carry out delimitation of constituencies afresh prior to general elections.
The elections were earlier expected in October or November after dissolution of assemblies on August 09, but the entire scenario has changed in the wake of approval of census 2023. In the new scenario, elections are likely to be held in March next year.
The Election Commission is legally bound to start the delimitation process after every census and at least four months, including three months for delimitation and one month for addressing objections, are required to complete the process of delimitation of constituencies.
As per Article 51(5) of the Constitution, National Assembly seats shall be allocated to each province and the federal territory on the basis on population as per officially published census.
Likewise, under Section 17(1) of the Elections Act, 2017, the Election Commission is to delimit territorial constituencies for elections to the National Assembly, each provincial assembly and to the local governments and is to delimit constituencies after every census officially published.
Under the Election Rules 2017, the delimitation of a constituency of an assembly starts from the northern end of the district and proceeds clockwise in a zigzag manner, keeping in view that the population in each constituency remains as close as is practicable according to the quota. According to an expert, any variation in population between two or more constituencies should not ordinarily exceed 10 per cent. However, he pointed out the delimitation committees have the provision to establish reasons in exceptional circumstances, if the variation exceeds the limit. “The Election Commission is a constitutional body and bound to carry out delimitation, once the census is approved by the Council of Common Interests and duly notified. Therefore, delimitation is a constitutional requirement and the commission will have to do it,” a senior ECP official explained to The News when asked for his comment on the development. He added that the process of delimitation and revision of electoral rolls would take some months.