The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially confirmed that the country’s general elections will take place on February 11, 2024. This crucial announcement was made during a hearing at the Supreme Court, where petitions were presented, urging the timely conduct of elections across Pakistan.
During the hearing, ECP’s lawyer, Sajeel Swati, informed the three-member bench, consisting of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, about the election schedule. Swati outlined that elections would be held following the completion of delimitation on November 30.
Swati elaborated on the delimitation process, explaining that it would take three to five days to issue the final lists. By counting 54 days from December 5, the ECP aimed to have all arrangements, including delimitation, completed by January 29.
A noteworthy decision revealed during the hearing was the ECP’s intent to conduct the polls on a Sunday to facilitate greater public participation. Under this plan, the first Sunday would fall on February 4, and the second on February 11.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa emphasized that once the election date is confirmed, the Supreme Court would consider it unalterable and ensure the elections take place as scheduled. The court adjourned the hearing of the case until 2 pm.
When the hearing resumed, the ECP lawyer stated the commission’s willingness to consult with President Arif Alvi on the election date without engaging in a constitutional debate. Chief Justice Isa issued orders directing the attorney general to facilitate the meeting between the ECP and the president.
The court expects the Election Commission and the president to agree on a date and report back to the court, with the hope that this meeting will resolve any ambiguities. The Supreme Court will be briefed after the meeting, and the court’s orders will be provided to the president.
This announcement comes against the backdrop of political uncertainty in Pakistan following the removal of the Imran Khan government through a no-confidence motion in April 2022. The subsequent government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, dissolved the National Assembly and other assemblies to allow for elections within 90 days. Delays in this process were attributed to the necessity of conducting new delimitations following the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023.
Multiple petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court, urging the court to ensure elections within 90 days, though these petitions had not been scheduled for a hearing during the tenure of former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
