Delimitation of constituencies: ECP forms five bodies to receive objections, provide assistance

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formed five committees to receive objections and provide assistance with regards to preliminary delimitation of constituencies of the National Assembly (NA) and the four provinces, the federal capital and Fata.

In this connection, a facilitation centre has been established here at the Election Commission Secretariat so that the objections could be properly furnished and presented before the ECP. Objections can be filed during office hours by the applicant or through his agent. The application should carry along eight copies of objection (s). The last date of filing objection is April 03.

An event was organised here at the Election Commission Secretariat in connection with the International Women’s Day: the dialogue was on registration of women as voters; political parties representatives were invited to express their views and float proposals on how maximum number of females could be registered as voters, after having been issued CNICs.

In his remarks, Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza emphasised that if enabling environment was provided to women, they could demonstrate their best skills and abilities.

A lively discussion was held on the on-going campaign of the ECP in 103 districts for registration of women as voters. The ECP noted the proposalsgiven by the participants, which would be deliberated upon while chalking the line of action in future.

Meanwhile, the ECP has reserved the decision in MQM’s convenership case on a petition filed by the MQM Pakistan head Farooq Sattar against the leader of other factions Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while MNA Kanwar Naveed Jamil pleaded, seeking Sattar’s intra-party election to be declared void.

In this regard, the five-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza, resumed the hearing of the case here. While giving arguments, MQM-Bahadurabad group counsel Farogh Naseem contended before the bench that Farooq Sattar has held the intra-party election after amending the party constitution himself as the party’s next election will be held in 2020.

“Party has handed over the powers of allotment of Senate tickets to Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui instead of Farooq Sattar as the MQM Rabita Committee has the powers to convene the Rabita Committee and general workers meeting,” he maintained. Frogh Naseem has also submitted the intra-party election details held by Farooq Sattar before the court.

Responding to him, the Farooq Sattars’ lawyer pointed out that Farogh Naseem has made the arguments over the party constitution rather election commission powers as ECP has no power to review MQM convener issue.

He contended that there was no such example of any SC decision in which ECP has ever been given powers to check in party’s internal affairs. After the conclusion of the arguments of both parties, ECP has reserved the judgment till March 26. MQM-Pakistan leader Dr Farooq Sattar had challenged jurisdiction of the ECP, regarding the MQM-P convenership and intra-party polls issue.