Delimitation unfair without consensus among parties: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim on Wednesday said delimitation of constituencies in Karachi would be unfair without consensus among political parties.
Addressing a press briefing, the CEC told reporters that existing delimitation of constituencies in Karachi was based on census and the ECP had to accept them.
He put the blame on political parties for delaying the delimitation process, saying the ECP had asked the political parties to give suggestions about new delimitation in Karachi, but political parties did not come up with suggestions.
“Delimitation of constituencies should be accepted in accordance with the census… personally I am against the delimitation before the upcoming elections,” said Ebrahim.
The CEC ignored his previous stance, which he took last Thursday during a meeting with political parties. According to press release, the ECP said that 13 political parties attended the meeting and except MQM all parties supported the ECP’s stance. The ECP had asked the parties to submit their views in writing within a week.
However, a day before the deadline (December 27), the CEC said that political parties did not come up with suggestions.
“Each stakeholder will submit his views in writing accompanied by the maps showing the desired changes within a week and they promised to do the same within a week. It may be noticed that except MQM all parties agreed in principle that the delimitation be done. The commission will thereafter proceed with the delimitation,” said the press release.
When the CEC was asked that what prompted him to delay the delimitation process, ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan assisted the CEC and said that there was no final decision of delaying delimitation of constituencies in Karachi.
“We have invited all political parties for submitting their suggestions… so after receiving political parties’ suggestion in next few days we will decide the matter,” the secretary added. The CEC said that the verification of voter lists in Karachi would begin on January 5.
Earlier, the CEC and army chief met at NADRA Headquarters. According to a press release issued by NADRA, the CEC and other members of ECP were invited by the NADRA chairman for a detailed briefing on electoral rolls project being jointly carried out by ECP and NADRA.
It said that each stage of the project was discussed in detail. At the end of the meeting, the COAS accompanied with Secretary Defence Maj Gen (r) Asif Yasin Malik also joined to discuss the verification of electoral rolls pertaining to Karachi in light of the Supreme Court order.
The delegation was also briefed about progress of amendments and corrections being made in Final Electoral Rolls 2012 after its publication, in accordance to electoral law. This process is being carried out by district election commissioners and until today 83,797 modifications have been made under Section 18 of Electoral Rolls Act 1974.
Talking about his meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani, the CEC said that various matters regarding the forthcoming general elections were discussed with the army chief.
“The army chief has given assurance to extend all possible assistance for holding free and fair elections,” the CEC said. Dispelling the impression about any delay in the general elections, the CEC said these were merely irrelevant speculations, adding that elections would be held on time.
He also announced to hold a meeting with home secretaries, chief secretary and other security officials on December 2 to analyse law and order situation in the country.