ISLAMABAD - Pakistan in an arduous economic path, struggling to avoid ‘default’ with inflation at 31.5 percent breaking five decades record, is set to experience a new tradition of not conducting elections on the same day. The county, following the recent verdict by the apex court of holding elections in two provinces [Punjab and KP], is all set to witness a new experience which had never been witnessed in the country’s history. President Arif Alvi, over the proposal of the top electoral body [ECP], has rushed to announce April 30 as the date for holding the elections of the Provincial Assembly in the Punjab. The date for holding polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KPK] will also be decided in the current month [March]. The experts in the top electoral watchdog, talking with this scribe, shared three aspects of conducting polls on different dates in the country. The country has to bear around 40 billion expenditures in the form of conducting polls on different dates as separate security arrangements, printing of voter lists, etc, experts claimed sharing the expenditure for holding elections. Likewise, the twice de-limitation, considering it a constitutional anomaly, due to different dates of election could create fiasco for the first time in the country.
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It is also feared that ‘fair play’ in the polls might compromise when the elections would be conducted for the second time for the National Assembly (NA) seats in the same constituencies. Though the President has formally initiated important steps for elections in the country by announcing the date, yet the ruling party [PML-N] stalwarts have started arguing against conducting polls on different dates. Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, talking to private media, hinted that conducting elections on different dates will definitely put extra burden over the country’s economy. PML-N’s main players Shahid Khaqan Abbasi , Ayaz Sadiq and others have also openly commented that the country cannot afford conducting the polls on the same day. PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in his recent media talk, has now come up with a new demand from the PDM’s government to announce general elections to avoid ongoing political chaos in the country.
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Whereas, the PDM’s government has not shown any reaction over this new demand by the former prime minister. About the new experience in the country, former secretary to the Election Commission of Pakistan Kanwar Dilshad shared with this newpapaer that it defintely be practiced for the first time in the history of Pakistan. “We have no example ofconducting elections in different dates,” he said, arguing that every countryincluding USA has different system and scenario. Citing the constitution [Article- 220] relatedto executive authorities to assist ECP, Dilshad said that ‘all authorities inthe Federation and in the Provinces to assist the Commissioner and the ElectionCommission in the discharge of his or their functions’ after the announcementof dates.Political and constitutional experts viewed that the PDM’sgovernment would attempt to delay the announced polls in two provinces [Punjaband KP]. Citing the economic constraints , the government will try to find someways to avoid breaking the tradition of conducting polls on a same day in thecountry.It may also be noted here that former Prime Minister ImranKhan has dissolved assemblies in two provinces with an aim to push the PDM’s governmentto conduct general polls in the country.
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The economic condition reveals that the top election body(ECP) has recently sought Rs14 billion additional grant for meeting the generalelection’s expenses.In a letter to the finance ministry, the commission said anextra amount will be needed for the general election in addition toby- elections on the vacant seats of the National Assembly, Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa. It was argued that the cost of the general election has beenincreased from Rs47 billion to Rs61 billion and stressed that an amount ofRs25bn out of Rs47bn was required on an immediate basis.