ISLAMABAD (HRNW) As February 8 general elections drew near, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has demanded the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan to extend the deadline for filing of nomination papers, media reported on Wednesday.
According to the election schedule issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), nomination papers could be filed with respective returning officers by the candidates from December 20 to 22, while names of all nominated candidates would be published on December 23.
In a letter to CEC Sikandar Raja Sultan, the MQM-P expressed concern over duration – three days – of filing nomination papers, saying that the process is a “tedious job, and has a long list of formalities requiring time and a lot of paperwork”.
Therefore, the political party said, three days duration does not seem enough, and it may “discourage adequate participation”.
In the interest of free and fair elections and to encourage wider participation, MQM-P urged the Election Commission that the duration for filing nomination papers may be extended sufficiently, under Section 58 (1) of the Election Act, 2017.
According to ECP’s election schedule, nomination papers could be filed with respective returning officers by the candidates on December 20-22, 2023 while names of all nominated candidates would be published on December 23.