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March 29, 2024
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EditorialA disputed decision by ECP

A disputed decision by ECP

By delaying the Punjab Assembly elections, the chief election commissioner has shot himself in the foot and undermined the authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan. It was unethical to declare a postponement in elections, which were already underway following the filling of nomination papers, and then announce a new date of October 8 for elections.

A chief election commissioner’s only responsibility is to ensure that elections are free and fair. Given his recent decisions, elections under CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja are likely to produce contested results. In its continuing ruling, the commission stated that the current circumstances are unfavorable for holding elections, with just one just security officer available on average per polling location. The election was postponed due to a severe scarcity of police and military troops as a static force. The Punjab IGP was notified of the deteriorating law and order situation. He mentioned terrorist attacks and stated that the operation would take five months to finish.

Nobody should believe the IGP’s assertion about a manpower shortage. The ECP should have directed the lGP to arrange staff for whatever reason. The ECP should have rejected the Home Ministry’s pretext that the army will not be available for voting duties. Nevertheless, the commission said that the election schedule had been withdrawn and that a new one would be provided later.

Both the provincial governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were hesitant to hold polls, and it was only after a strong-worded direction from the Supreme Court that the Punjab governor consented to allow the ECP to declare a poll date. The governor of KP is already at odds with the constitution and the Supreme Court.

Elections for national and provincial assemblies should be held concurrently, according to government officials. Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated in a joint session of Parliament that elections across the country may be held on the same day. They claim that we do not want to avoid the election; rather, we want a clean and transparent election.

Notwithstanding the government’s justifications the truth is that the ECP has done democracy a disservice with its pronouncement.

Pakistan has a history of delayed and rigged elections. There have been several instances where elections were postponed due to political instability, security concerns, and other reasons. In some cases, these delays were justified, while in others, they were seen as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process. The issues of delayed and rigged elections have been a longstanding problem in Pakistan’s political landscape, and addressing these issues remains a crucial challenge for the country’s democratic institutions.

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