On Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced its decision to undergo a new delimitation of constituencies. This indicates that the general elections are unlikely to be conducted within the constitutional 90-day timeframe.
As per the available schedule, the new delimitation’s final details will be publicized on December 14, 2023.
The recent approval of the 2023 digital census results by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) now mandates the ECP to perform this new delimitation, a procedure expected to span almost four months.
This change comes on the heels of the dissolution of the National Assembly and the conclusion of the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government’s term on August 9.
While the Constitution mandates the ECP to initiate general elections within 90 days following the Assembly’s dissolution, this timeline is now challenged by the upcoming delimitation. It could potentially necessitate a constitutional amendment.
