ECP unaware, uncomfortable with July 15 polls date

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has no idea from where Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi got July 15, 2018 as the date for the next general elections. Besides, the ECP does not appear comfortable with this date for holding the next general elections.

According to ECP sources, neither has the Election Commission been consulted on the matter nor does it know how the prime minister announced the elections date. Under the law, the commission will move the summary on the matter while the president will decide the election date. These sources explained that unless the assemblies are dissolved earlier by mid-May, the holding of elections on July 15 will be too tough a call for the ECP.

The present National Assembly and the government will complete their term on June 1, 2018. If the assemblies are not dissolved earlier, the next elections will be held within 60 days of the completion of the term i.e. by August 1, 2018.

The prime minister had said that the government will complete its tenure till June 1, 2018 whereas the next elections will be held on July 15, 2018.

The ECP sources said upon the completion of the assembly’s term, the commission will suggest holding elections anywhere in the last week of July 2018. After the finalisation of candidates’ list, the commission would require 21 days for printing of the ballot papers by the Printing Corporation of Pakistan.

“If the maximum 60 days period is squeezed to 45 days as announced by the prime minister, it will create problems for the commission,” a source said, adding that during the last general elections because of time constraints the ECP had to go beyond the Printing Corporation of Pakistan, which was made into an issue by the PTI.

It is believed that the date of July 15, 2018 as announced by the prime minister would have been the decision of the PML-N. However, this date does not suit the ECP, which is desirous of holding good elections free from controversies, which emerged in the previous elections.

According to a PML-N source, the purpose of squeezing the 60 days maximum limit to 45 days is to save the candidates and the political parties from extra spending on their election campaign.