Pakistan releases preliminary report on constituency delimitation ahead of elections

In the last days of the coalition government, Shahbaz Sharif endorsed the new census due to which the Election Commission of Pakistan was compelled to complete the delimitation process.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken a significant step toward preparing for the upcoming general elections by releasing the preliminary delimitation of constituencies. In light of the new census data, the ECP was faced with the task of revising constituency boundaries through the delimitation process.

This move is expected to have a significant impact on the electoral landscape as Pakistan readies itself for the general elections scheduled for the end of January.

However, it's worth noting that the decision to hold the general elections in Pakistan at the end of January has not been without controversy. Several opposition political parties have expressed their opposition to this timeline.

Meanwhile, the caretaker government, led by Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, has been granted an unexpected extension, further adding to the political dynamics leading up to the elections.

The coalition government led by PMLN's Shahbaz Sharif was brought down due to lack of majority and the national assembly was dissolved in August. However, in the last days of the coalition government, Shahbaz Sharif endorsed the new census due to which the Election Commission of Pakistan was compelled to complete the delimitation process.

The Constitution of Pakistan mandates a fresh election within 90 days after the dissolution of the national assembly. However, the delimitation process has led to a natural extension of the general elections in Pakistan. The Election Commission of Pakistan must complete the process of delimitation of constituencies in a 90-day timeframe after which the official processes for general elections will begin in Pakistan.

The report of preliminary delimitation was uploaded by the Election Commission of Pakistan on its official website on Wednesday. It also noted that the publication of the preliminary constituencies will continue for 30 days from Sept 27 to Oct 26. A final list of updated constituencies will be released by the Election Commission of Pakistan on November 30, followed by issuance of the election schedule and polling.