Islamabad: In adherence to a Supreme Court order, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the schedule for the upcoming general elections to be held on February 8. The decision followed the court’s suspension of a Lahore High Court order that had previously halted the appointment of returning officers and district returning officers from the bureaucracy.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja confirmed the schedule announcement, fulfilling the court’s directive. According to an official notification from the ECP, the public notice will be issued by the returning officer (RO) on December 19. Nomination filing is scheduled from December 20 to 22, with candidate names to be published on December 23. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place from December 24 to 30.
The deadline for filing appeals against the RO’s decisions is January 3, and the appellate tribunal will decide on these appeals by January 10. The revised list of candidates will be published on January 11, and candidates can withdraw their candidature until January 12. Political parties will be allotted election symbols on January 13, leading up to the polls on February 8.
In addition to the schedule announcement, the ECP revealed the formal launch of the election management system in accordance with Section 13 of the Election Act 2017. The training of returning officers is set for December 17-18, while district returning officers will undergo training on December 19.
With the electoral process underway, the ECP ensures that preparations have been made for free and fair elections. The schedule announcement, made 56 days prior to the polling date, aligns with legal requirements outlined in the Election Act.
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