Delimitation process is like a stay against early polls, key ECP source says

ISLAMABAD: The ongoing delimitation process is like a stay against early general elections, a key ECP source says.

Talking to The News, the commission source said how the ECP can hold early elections without completing the delimitation process, which will be completed in May this year. Ignoring the conspiracy theories of all sorts regarding the Senate elections, the source said that the Election Commission of Pakistan is gearing up for these elections to be held in March this year.

“We will announce the schedule for Upper House elections in the last week of this month,” an informed ECP official said, adding, “The tentative dates are 28-29th January.” For the general elections, the polling day is expected to be in the last week of July whereas the election schedule for the 2018 polls will be announced around 28th May.

The ECP source said that the delimitation exercise is expected to be completed on May 3 only after which the commission will be in a position to announce the election schedule for the next general elections.

When asked about the possibility of early general elections in the backdrop of 2017 census and the latest constitutional amendment, the source said that the delimitation process is like a stay against early polls.

He explained that since the delimitation process will be completed in May, therefore, the general elections cannot be held before July this year. In view of this, those desirous of seeing the assemblies dissolved would pave the way for the likely setting up of caretaker governments at the Centre and in the provinces for an extended period of time.

There are reports of alleged conspiracy to block the Senate elections by getting the assemblies dissolved so that the PML-N should not get lion's share in the Upper House. However, as per the commission officials’ view, the Senate election could not be called off or postponed if one of the provincial assemblies is dissolved.

The electoral college for the Senate includes all the four provincial assemblies and the National Assembly. If as is generally feared, the Balochistan Assembly is dissolved, the elections for 11 seats of Senate will get postponed till the re-election of the provincial house but it will not hamper the election process in other provinces and at the Centre.

However, if the PPP and the PTI also decide to dissolve the Sindh and KP assemblies, there can be a constitutional crisis as the dominant part of the electoral college will not be available to take part in the Senate elections.

In such a scenario, those deciding to dissolve their assemblies will be paving the way for caretaker governments with longer period of time. Political observers believe that such a situation does not suit any of the leading political parties, which has stakes in the system.

In case the present assemblies complete their term, the caretaker government will have not more than 60 days to rule. When the assemblies are dissolved for early elections, the caretaker government can have a maximum of 90 days.

In the present scenario, the delimitation requirement has almost ruled out early election till the completion of the process owing to which if the assemblies are dissolved before the Senate elections, the caretaker governments are expected to have a longer period to rule.