Friday, the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP) published the long-awaited calendar for the elections in the Senate in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab, fixing on July 21 as the survey date for several seats which remained vacant due to delays from an incomplete electoral college.
According to an official notification, a survey for seven general seats, two seats reserved for women and two for the technocrats and the Uleas of KP will be held on July 21 at the Building of the Provincial Assembly in Peshawar.
The elections were previously planned for April 2, 2024, but were postponed after the lecturer of the KP assembly refused to give oaths to elected members on reserved seats. The dead end left the incomplete electoral college, which prompted the ECP to delay the polls.
Learn more: ECP restores 74 seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies
In addition, the Commission also announced the electoral program for the headquarters of the Senate left by Dr Sania Nishtar. A public opinion will be issued on July 9, while the appointment documents can be filed on July 10 and 11. A meticulous examination of the documents will be carried out on July 16, and a survey was scheduled for July 31.
Meanwhile, the ECP also resumed the electoral process for the siege of the Senate on the left following the disappearance of Senator Sajid Mir. These elections were also delayed due to the incomplete composition of the electoral college.
According to the revised schedule, the return manager will publish a list updated candidates on July 15, the deadline for withdrawing the appointment documents set for July 16. The survey will take place on July 21, at the building of the Punjab assembly in Lahore.
Also read: ECP asks the parties to submit financial statements
In addition, the ECP also published a calendar for the election of two vacant seats reserved for women in the National Assembly of KP, previously owned by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The return manager will publish a public opinion on July 8, with appointment documents which will be submitted on July 9 and 10.
The Commission noted that the list of previous priorities of the PML-N for the seats reserved for women had been exhausted and that the party was responsible for submitting a new list to the return officer by July 10.
To facilitate the completion of the electoral college before the elections in the Senate, CEP wrote to the speakers of the National Assembly and to the provincial assemblies concerned, asking them to administer the oaths to the newly informed members elected on reserved seats.
