ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to propose amendments to the Constitution and electoral laws ahead of the upcoming general elections, in a bid to strengthen the country’s electoral framework and align it with international best practices.
As part of this initiative, the commission has reactivated its Legal Reforms Committee (LRC), which will include senior officials from the ECP as well as representatives from the legal and other relevant sectors.
According to sources, the commission will examine the legal and constitutional gaps that emerged during the 2024 general elections. Based on its assessment, it will make recommendations to address the identified gaps and strengthen the electoral framework.
The ECP will also undertake a broader review of the legal framework governing elections to make electoral laws more effective, more modern and more responsive to evolving democratic needs.
According to sources, the election watchdog will prepare recommendations for amendments to the Constitution, the 2017 Election Act and the 2017 Election Rules.
The review will focus on identifying gaps and weaknesses in the current legal framework while ensuring that the country’s electoral laws are consistent with globally recognized best practices. The proposed recommendations will be submitted to the relevant forums for consideration once the committee completes its assessment.
The commission has set a target to complete its review of election-related constitutional provisions by 2026, while the review of the 2017 Electoral Act and 2017 Election Rules is expected to be finalized by December 2026.
In addition, the Election Supervisor will prepare proposals to harmonize local government laws with the Election Law 2017 and the Election Rules 2017. He also plans to submit his opinion on any new local government legislation within three months of its promulgation.
The ECP said the objective of this exercise is to ensure a transparent, fair and uniform electoral process by updating the legal framework in line with changing democratic demands and circumstances.
