The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday announced that it had launched a constituencies’ delimitation drive across the country for general elections by freezing the administrative units in the entire country — a scenario that implies that no administrative unit can be set up till the completion of the exercise involving the constituencies for national and provincial assemblies.

According to a notification issued by the electoral body, freezing of the boundaries of administrative units stood effective throughout Pakistan from April 11 (Monday) whereas the final list of delimited constituencies would be issued on August 3.

The country's top electoral body also shared the notification in a tweet on Monday.

“The delimitation committees for all provinces will be formed till April 16, 2022,” it read, adding that the commission had provided the maps and other documents for the delimitation process to all chief secretaries, provincial election commissioners.

“Maps and other documents will be distributed from April 11-16. The delimitation committees' training will be held from April 20-24,” it read, “Moreover, the initial delimitation will be announced on May 28, 2022.”

It added that the public send their concerns and suggestions over the initial delimitation to the ECP from May 29-June 28. Furthermore, the body would conduct and announce its order on concerns and suggestions from July 1-30.

“The final result of delimitation will be released on August 3,” the official handout read.

Earlier on Friday, the ECP, in a meeting, decided to launch and complete the delimitation drive related to general elections within four months on an “emergency basis”— on the notified results of the population census 2017. The electoral body decided that it would not wait for the new digital census that was to be launched by the federal government. It decided to seek the required data from the provincial governments, regarding their respective constituencies.

The meeting directed the senior ECP officials to place before the commission the action plan for general elections on the coming Wednesday (tomorrow).

In the same meeting, the ECP accused the Punjab government of trying to create hurdles in holding local government elections in the country’s largest province by not releasing funds. In this context, the commission has summoned the federal secretary of finance and chief secretary of Punjab soon.

Last Wednesday, President Arif Alvi, through a letter, sought the date from the electoral body for holding general elections, within 90 days of the dissolution of NA, under Article 48(5) (A) and Article 224(2) of the Constitution.

In response, the commission responded that general elections were not possible before October this year and it needed four months to complete the delimitation drive in order to hold the general polls within 90 days. However, the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional the dissolution of NA and has restored the lower house of the Parliament.

According to ECP, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas’ merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the reduction of related NA seats from 12 to six, reducing the general NA seats from 272 to 266 which necessitated the need to launch afresh the exercise to delimit the constituencies of NA.

The ECP says the delimitation exercise was launched after the results of the population census 2017 were finally notified on May 6, 2021. However, the government decided to launch afresh a digital population census following which, the ECP said, halted its delimitation drive that has now been launched.

Funds issue

The ECP has expressed its concerns over “constant problems” from central and provincial governments pertaining to funds for general elections and local government elections in provinces and Islamabad.

“Due to this, severe difficulties are being faced and important constitutional duties of the commission are being affected,” read an official statement issued after the ECP meeting, which was presided over by Chief Election Commission Sikander Sultan Raja.

The country’s top electoral body was of the view that such actions were in complete violation of the Supreme Court orders of March 15 and March 25 2021. It decided to inform the SC Registrar about the prevailing situation.

“Because of this, the local government elections, which have already been delayed, now there is a danger of further delay in holding them,” it read.

It also directed the election commission secretary to talk to the finance secretary and chief secretaries concerned and resolve the issue “at the earliest”.