ECP to hear objections to delimitations

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Monday made it clear that it is its mandate to hear objections to delimitations of constituencies and hearings will be held on district basis.

It said this during a meeting of the Special Committee on Delimitation Parliamentarians have conveyed serious reservations of delimitation of constituencies to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as it was made that changed the whole demographic of the constituencies with violation of rules and on arbitrarily basis as in some constitutes in it was done on clock wise, Patwar circles basis and some in demographic basis.

While the of the constituencies that the committee did not have the power to discuss it as it comes under the purview of the Committee. The meeting of the working group of the Special Committee on Delimitation of the Constituencies, chaired by Daniyal Aziz. The parliamentarians raised question on different procedures adopted for delimitation of about 70 percent of constituencies.

The ECP did not respond to objections of the parliamentarians. The parliamentarians said that delimitations were made so that it changed demographics of constituencies. Working Group of the Special Committee on Delimitation chairman observed that there was a need for cooperation for formulation of proposals for delimitation of the constituencies. The committee chairman pointed out that Abbotabad had three provincial assembly constituencies. Daniyal Aziz asked the ECP to give explanation on it. “Why the replies were not given to my question,” he asked.

He said there is huge difference in south and north of provincial and National Assembly constituencies. Aliya Kamran said the maps posted on the ECP website were different from the maps of Survey of Pakistan.

Fafen had pointed out that in 26 percent of constituencies, demographic difference is above 10 percent while there are 72 constituencies where demographic ratio has bigger differences. It was pointed out that in NA-35, there is a bigger difference of 60 percent in demographic ratio in comparison with other constituencies.

A Fafen representative pointed out that in two constituencies of Islamabad, rural and urban areas were included. Officials of the ECP refused to discuss Fafen report saying that they will not make any debate on this report. “If anyone has objections on demographic ratio then the objections could be submitted before the ECP as there was difference in procedure of the ECP and Fafen on the delimitation process,” the ECP officials told the committee.