Elections on Feb 11
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officially communicated to the Supreme Court on Thursday that the general elections in the country are scheduled to take place nationwide on Feb 11, 2024.
The ECP’s legal representative revealed this election date during the proceedings of petitions urging the timely conduct of polls across the country.
ECP’s lawyer, Sajeel Swati, informed the three-member bench, which comprises Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, that elections will be held after the completion of the delimitation process on November 30.
This hearing marked the second session for the three-member bench dedicated to these petitions.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa directed the ECP officials to hold a meeting with President Arif Alvi to decide elections date.
Swati shared that all necessary preparations, including delimitation, would be finalized by January 29.
He clarified that the delimitation process would require 3 to 5 days to produce the final lists, and by counting 54 days from December 5, it would conclude on January 29.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the ECP’s plan was to hold the elections on Sundays to facilitate greater public participation. Under this scheme, the first Sunday would fall on February 4, and the second on February 11. Swati stated, “We independently decided that elections should be held on Sunday, February 11.”
In response to this revelation, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa directed the lawyer to relay the message to the chief election commissioner, urging them to consult with the president and report back to the court. Subsequently, the Supreme Court adjourned the case’s hearing until 2 pm.
