ECP summons Caretaker CM Punjab to finalize election arrangements

• ECP will receive security briefings from Defence Ministry, GHQ
• ECP has summoned Caretaker CM Punjab on March 13
• ECP will discuss the preparations with stakeholders

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is has expedited efforts to finalize arrangements for conducting polls of the provincial assembly in Punjab.

The election commission held a meeting on Wednesday chaired on Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja to review preparations for the polls in the province.

The election commission has summoned the officials of the Ministry of Defence for a briefing on security situation on March 10.

ECP has also summoned the officials of the Military Operations Directorate on March 10 for a briefing on the security plan.

Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has been summoned to the ECP on March 13 along with Chief Secretary Punjab and Inspector General Punjab.

The election commission will take a briefing from the stakeholders on the preparations for the elections and the security situation in Punjab.

The Election Commission also called an important meeting on Thursday (tomorrow) and has invited the Finance Secretary and the Home Secretary.

The Election Commission said that elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will incur expenses of Rs25 billion. The electoral body will direct the Finance Secretary to issue the election expenses immediately.

The ECP will also issue directives to make security arrangements for the elections. The Home Secretary will be asked to provide Army, Rangers, and FC personnel for election security. He will also be instructed to contact the Defence Secretary and GHQ.

The Ministry of Interior will be asked to ensure the deployment of the Army, Rangers, and other law enforcement agencies.

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ECP announces election schedule 

Meanwhile, the ECP announced the schedule for the general election of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab which will be held on April 30.

According to an ECP notification, the public notice inviting nomination papers will be issued on March 11. The process for filing of nomination papers by candidates will begin on March 12 and continue till March 14, while the names of the candidates will be published on March 15.

Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be conducted on March 22, while March 27 is fixed as the last date for filing of appeals against the decisions of the returning officers rejecting/accepting the nomination papers.

The last date for deciding of appeals by the Appellate Tribunal is April 3, and the revised lists of candidates will be published on April 4.

The withdrawal of candidature can be done till April 5. The candidates will be allotted election symbols on April 6, while polling will be held on April 30.

The ECP has also asked the political parties to submit separate lists of priority for seats reserved for women and non-Muslims by March 14.