The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed dates for holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

The Election Commission wrote letters to principal secretaries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governors about the polling day.

The ECP has suggested to hold general elections in Punjab on any date between 9 April to 13 April while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it proposed polling day on any day between 15 April to 17 April.

The governors will decide about the final date for polling and inform the ECP.

The letter written to the two governors also stated that it was the responsibility of the ECP to hold general elections within 90 days after the dissolution of the assemblies and Article 224 of the Constitution mandated that “in case national assembly or provincial assembly is dissolved, a general election to the Assembly shall be held within ninety days of the dissolution of the Assembly”.

It maintained that as per Article 105(3)(a) of the Constitution, the governor is required to fix a date, no later than ninety days from the date of dissolution for holding general elections to the assembly. It further stated that under Sub Section (1) of Section 57 of the Elections Act, 2017, consultation with the ECP was required for the fixation of the poll date.

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday had said that it was ready to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. An important meeting was held in this connection at the ECP under the chair of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The meeting was told that preparations regarding setting up of polling stations and voters’ lists had been made. The CEC directed to spur efforts for conducting the polls in both the provinces. 

The meeting decided to release the election schedule after governors of both the provinces would give their polling dates. 

The meeting was attended by the ECP members, provincial election commissioners and officials of all the wings of the commission.

The meeting mulled over the preparations for the election in Punjab and KP provinces as well as by-polls on the vacant seats. 

The CEC asked the authorities to expedite appointments of presiding officers and other polling staff for the elections.

Reporter Usman Khan