Election date: ECP sends summary to president

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Monday proposed July 25-27 as possible dates for the upcoming general elections, putting at rest a wave of speculations about the fate of electoral process.

In recent days, different dates for the holding of elections have surfaced in media. However, all were put aside by the ECP and it was emphasised that if and when, the date fixed, it would not be concealed from public.

The ECP forwarded a summary in this regard to President Mamnoon Hussain, requesting him to set one of the proposed dates as the day of the polling under the Elections Act 2017, Section 57(1), a statement by the ECP’s Media Wing said. The president can sign it, indicating the date of polling, any time and this is needless to say that it will give a new impetus to poll-related activities across Pakistan.

The announcement came well ahead of a consensus candidate, who would head a caretaker setup in the centre. Caretaker governments are formed in the Centre and in provinces for two months in the wake of completion of term of the assemblies, whereas elections have to be held within 90 days, in case assemblies fail to complete their terms.

Before the dispatch of much-awaited summary to the president, several political parties already appeared to have entered election mode and are holding public meetings in favourite cities and towns to browbeat rivals and garner supporter in the elections.