ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) has allotted election symbols to political parties for the upcoming general elections.
According to the details, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired a meeting of the ECP wherein a briefing was given on various information technology projects related to the general elections 2023.
During the meeting, the ECP also allotted election symbols for the general elections to 127 political parties collectively. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) retained the election symbol of bat, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Arrow, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) retained lion as the election symbol.
Meanwhile, the officers of Information Technology team and the project management unit briefed the participants of the meeting about various projects, including election management system (EMS). The Returning officers will be facilitated in compiling results under the election management system. The participants of the meeting were also briefed about the establishment of Election Management Control Centre (EMC).
ECP’s Punjab polls schedule
The ECP has announced the election schedule for the general election to the Punjab Assembly. “Polling for the election of Punjab provincial assembly will be held on April 30,” the ECP announced.
According to the election schedule, candidates have submitted their nomination papers, while scrutiny of the papers will be held on March 22 (today). The candidates could withdraw their nomination papers by April 5 and election symbols to the candidates will be allotted on April 6, according to the ECP announcement. It is quite pertinent to mention here that President Dr. Arif Alvi had announced April 30 as the polling day for elections in Punjab.
The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 verdict, had ruled that elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Mazhar Ali Naqvi supported the verdict, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the admissibility of the suo-moto notice and dissented from the majority decision.
The short verdict noted that the ECP failed in discharging its role in holding the election. The announcement of the election date in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is the responsibility of the governor, while the president has the authority, as per law and constitution, to fix the election date in Punjab, the apex court maintained.
