The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has officially requested a two-day extension to the December 22 deadline for submitting nomination papers for the general elections scheduled on February 8, 2024.
Following a similar move by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), who sought a three-day extension, PML-N has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with its request.
In a letter written by PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar, it was emphasized that the ECP has the authority to amend the election schedule without altering the polling date.
Rationale Behind the Extension Request
The letter highlighted that the current schedule allocates only three days for filing nomination papers, while seven days are dedicated to their scrutiny. Filing these papers involves numerous details and documents, including No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and Necessary Eligibility Certificates (NECs) from various public departments.
The PML-N leader pointed out that the nomination process is time-consuming, and any mistakes could lead to the rejection of the documents. Therefore, a two-day extension would greatly facilitate the candidates intending to participate in the upcoming elections.
The original election schedule had set the dates for receiving nomination papers from December 20 to 22.
