delimitation of constituencies next week By Mumtaz Alvi ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will start supply of census-related material, including maps and description to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from next week in the run-up to the nation-wide exercise to delimit constituencies. The National Assembly has already passed the 24th Constitutional Amendment on Thursday while the Senate failed to take up this crucial piece of legislation for want of required 69 members, as two-third majority of the 104-member House is mandatory for adoption of the bill. However, the Senate is most likely to pass the amendment on Monday, though it is a private members day. The proposed legislation, after adoption by the Senate, will then be signed into law by President Mamnoon Hussain, leading to legitimising use of provisional census data for delimitation of the constituencies. It is pertinent to mention that as per the existing law, the ECP could begin the delimitation of constituencies in May next year after having been shared the notified census data by the PBS, leading to delay in the general elections. Therefore, Parliament is in the process of legislation to pave way for carrying out the exercise on the basis of provisional census data. On the direction of ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad, the Provincial Election Commissioners (PEC) visited PBS on Saturday. Senior management of PBS briefed them about the progress of printing of required material for delimitation i.e. maps and description. PBS management informed the visitors that 70 per ent work had been completed so far. PBS held out an assurance to them that the remaining work would be completed as per the timeline given by the ECP. PBS informed the ECP senior officials that supply of material would be started from next week. To review progress on ongoing work, the PECs visited different departments/sections of the PBS and expressed satisfaction with the progress. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (R) Sardar Muhammad Raza, said on Friday that the proposed delimitation would be completed by April next year and the exercise would require five months. With regard to the proposed nation-wide exercise, the ECP has taken a number of measures, including imparting training to officials and has also posted and transferred 86 officers in a major shake-up a few days back.
