ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday said that it will hold a by-election on the vacant seats if PTI members resigned from the provincial assembly.
However, officials from the election commission also issued another statement saying the news about the by-election was reported in the media as out of context.
ECP denies issuing statement
In the follow-up statement, ECP denied issuing any official statement concerning the by-elections of national and provincial assemblies if PTI members resign from the assemblies.
The subsequent statement says that a media person asked questions about the law, rules, and expenditures to be incurred on holding the by-elections of national and provincial assemblies, where the ECP spokesman replied and lamented that the reply was reported in media as ‘out of context.’
At present, the PTI is in power in two provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with representation in Baluchistan and Sindh.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan, while addressing a huge gathering on Saturday, announced quitting the assemblies in days to come.
By-elections in Punjab, KP
Earlier media reported ECP saying “We will hold by-elections on the vacant seats in case PTI members resign from the assemblies. Holding by-elections in the vacant constituencies will cost between Rs 50 million to Rs 70 million”.
Further adding that by-elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will cost nearly Rs 22 billion. It is worth mentioning here that in case the PTI-led provincial governments opt for dissolving the assemblies in the two provinces, the ECP will be responsible for arranging polls in over 400 constituencies in the country. – APP
