ECP gives new election date

Elections are to be held on February 11, 2024, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) informed the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The ECP’s lawyer announced the date during today’s SC hearing of petitions calling for timely polls across the country.

“Elections in the country will be held in the country [after] completion of delimitation on November 30,” ECP’s lawyer Sajeel Swati told the three-member bench.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and Justice Athar Minallah took up the pleas moved by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the PTI, Munir Ahmad, and Ibad-ur-Rehman.

The ECP’s lawyer told the apex court that all arrangements including delimitation will be completed by January 29. 

Explaining the delimitation process, the lawyer added it would take them 3 to 5 days to issue the final lists. He added that if 54 days are counted from December 5 then we get January 29 date.

Furthermore, the lawyer said that the ECP was looking to hold the polls on Sunday to make it easier for the people to participate in the elections. He added that under this plan the first Sunday would have fallen on February 4 and the second would be on February 11. 

“We decided on our own that elections should be held on Sunday, February 11,” ECP Lawyer added.