Senate polls in Fata not possible till ambiguity cleared: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday said that the Senate elections in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were impossible until the ambiguity in the Presidential Ordinance was cleared.
The ECP issued the official notification for the postponement of Senate elections in the Fata on Friday.The elections were postponed on Thursday due to an ambiguity in the Presidential Ordinance issued a day prior to the elections. The Returning Officer (RO) had postponed the elections due to the ambiguity created by the ordinance.
According to the ECP, the articles 2, 3 and 5 of the Presidential Ordinance are contradictory. The ECP stated that the elections in the Fata are not possible until a new and clearly worded order is issued.
Meanwhile, the ECP directed the successful candidates of the Senate elections to submit details of electoral expenses within five days.Notification of successful candidates will not be issued if they fail to submit the electoral expense details in five days.
Moreover, the successful candidates from the federal capital will submit their details in Islamabad whereas those successful from provincial assemblies will submit details in the respective provincial offices of the election commission. Earlier, the EC had allowed the candidates to spend a maximum of Rs15 lakh in terms of electoral expenditures.