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By-elections further postponed
Zardari, PML(N) condemn step as violation of constitution
M S Tanvir
Islamabad—Kanwar Muh-ammad Dilshad, Secretary, Election Commission
has announced that in view of a report received from the Home
Secretary, NWFP regarding adverse law and order situation prevailing
in that province, the forthcoming Budget Sessions of National and
Provincial Assemblies, the Election Commission has postponed for a
period of two months, the holding of bye-election to vacant seats in
the National Assembly as well as Provincial Assemblies, Polling was
scheduled to be held on 18 June, 2008.
Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said bye-elections will now be held on the
18th of August, 2008 for which a revised schedule will be issued in
due course of time. He clarified that the candidates who have filed
nomination papers with the returning officers concerned needed not
file nomination papers afresh.
Asif Ali Zardari co-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party has
condemned the postponement of bye-elections by two months.
He will meet Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to bring to his
attention the Party’s serious reservations over the postponement.
In a statement Asif Zardari demanded to know the real reasons behind
the postponement saying that the reasons cited by the Election
Commission did not appear credible.
He said that holding of bye-elections within sixty days of a seat
falling vacant was a constitutional requirement under Article 224
(4) of the Constitution.
As such the postponement for the second time was intriguing, as it
was in conflict with the constitutional requirement, he said.
He said that the PPP was ready to field its candidates in the
bye-elections on June 3 and also on June 18. The Party had already
invited applications from candidates for election tickets and made
all necessary preparations in this regard.
Even if the law and order situation was bad in any particular
locality it provided no justification to postpone bye-elections
throughout the country.
The federal minister for information, Sherry Rahman said that PML-N
and PPPP have deep concerns and reservations over postponement of
by-elections.
Talking to media at the Parliament House, she blamed the Election
Commission of failing to take the political parties into confidence
over the matter, and termed it as a well-planned conspiracy to
divide democratic forces, cautioning that Supreme Court would be
moved over the issue.
Pakistan Muslim League-N while commenting on the postponement of
by-elections by the Election Commission has said that neither their
party nor PPP had been taken into confidence while taking decision
of delaying by-elections.
PML-N spokesman Siddique al Farooque termed the decision a
conspiracy against the ruling coalition and said that the decision
would be challenged.
He said that the Election Commission had taken the plea that the
overall situation in the country was not good and the budget was
being formulated. It was not credible and could not hold the ground,
he added. PML-N spokesman said that the situation in the country was
much better than it was during the February Elections.
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