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ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is “always ready for elections” and will make decisions without fear.
CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja administered the oath to two newly appointed members of ECP. Babar Hassan Bharwana has been appointed from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan took oath of their new responsibilities.
Speaking to media, Raja said that the ECP had taken decisions fearlessly and will continue to do so. “If anyone is displeased with our decision, it is their problem but we will continue to take our decisions in line with the Constitution and laws,” he said.
Regarding holding fresh elections, the CEC said that the commission was ready for the elections and it is now the responsibility of the government to decide on it.
“The Election Commission only has the mandate to hold free and fair elections,” he said, adding that progress on the delimitation process of constituencies is being expedited.
He went on to say that the ECP has a clear stance on the census and could not carry out delimitations without the official publication of fresh census results. “The ECP has a clear stance on the census,” he said, adding that the results of the 2017 census were released in May 2021 and the demarcation
He said the government wanted to hold fresh census and if they receive its results by December 2022, then fresh delimitations for the elections in 2023 could be carried.
Speaking on enmasse resignations of PTI MNAs, Sikandar Sultan Raja said that the deputy speaker did not forward the resignations to the ECP.
In reply to a question about the foreign funding case, he said the case proceedings were under way. He said it is necessary to give an opportunity to all parties for clarification.