LAHORE: Following the Supreme Court’s verdict on Sunday which suspended the Lahore High Court’s earlier verdict on nullifying nomination papers, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will begin accepting nomination papers from today (Monday).
Individuals willing to contest the elections can submit their papers today until the 8th of June. The stipulations of the nominations paper will be in accordance with the Elections Act that Parliament passed in 2017.
The nomination papers will be scrutinised on June 14, while appeals against decisions by returning officers can be filed till June 19. The ECP will then display the candidates’ list on June 27, with candidates having the option to withdraw their candidacy by the 28th of June.
The ECP will then publish the final list with electoral symbols on the 29th of June.
The LHC had on Friday suspended the ECP’s nomination papers on the grounds that it lacked crucial information such as education background, criminal record and dual citizenship. The court had also ordered the ECP to add the the stipulations of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution in the nomination papers.
The ECP had then convened an emergency meeting in which the Commission decided to approach the Supreme Court on the matter.
The SC, then, suspended the LHC’s verdict on Sunday, thus paving the way for the ECP to begin taking nomination papers.
CJP Mian Saqib Nisar has also reiterated on numerous occasions that elections will be held on the slated date–the 25th of July.