ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is going to start the revision of electoral rolls in all provinces from January 15 (Monday).
In a press release issued here on Saturday, the commission said that 7.3 million new voters will be registered in the campaign.
Offices of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and all provincial, regional and district level offices of the election commission will remain open on Saturday and Sunday to review the existing electoral rolls. Earlier on Friday, the ECP cancelled the enlistment of 284 political parties for the 2018 general elections from across the country, the body said in its recent notification.
According to ECP notification, the registration of 284 political parties has been cancelled after their failure to submit concerned documents, and their malfunction for long period, as per ECP’s newly inducted Election Act 2017.
The parties include Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-S), MQM- Pakistan, PML-F, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), National Party, Sunni Tehreek, Peoples Party Patriots and others.
The action was taken in pursuance of Section 202(5) of Election Act 2017.
Under Section 202(5), the de-listed political parties were asked to submit a list of two thousand registered members, along with their signatures or thumb impressions as well as photocopies of national identity cards till December 2, 2017.
These political parties were also told to submit proof of depositing Rs0.2 million in the government treasury.
The notification further said that the parties, whose registration has been revoked, can approach the Supreme Court within 30 days.
According to Election Act 2017, it is essential for each political party to submit details of 2,000 workers to election commission annually along with submission of Rs200,000 registration fee.
Only those parties were listed which fulfilled the necessary requirements made compulsory in Section 202(5). 284 political parties failed to follow the instructions, hence they were de-listed.
Overall, 352 political parties have been registered with ECP and only 68 political parties have submitted details of their documents concerned so far.
