Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 Becomes Law

Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 received presidential assent on July 8, 2024,

Islamabad(Mudassar Iqbal); Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 Becomes Law,President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the controversial Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 into law, despite opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The bill, which was passed by the Senate on August 6, introduces significant changes to the electoral process.

Key provisions of the bill include:

– Candidates who fail to submit a party certificate before obtaining an election symbol will be considered independent candidates.
– Political parties that fail to submit their list of candidates for reserved seats within the specified period will forfeit their right to those seats.
– A candidate’s declaration of affiliation to a political party is irrevocable.

The PTI has challenged the bill in the Supreme Court, arguing that it is unfair and aims to deny the party its rightful reserved seats. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s earlier decision to allocate reserved seats to the PTI.

PTI Challenges Controversial Election Bill in Supreme Court

The Supreme Court had previously ruled in favor of the PTI, declaring that the ECP’s decision to deny the party reserved seats was unconstitutional. However, the new amendment bill seeks to overturn this decision.

The development has sparked controversy and legal wrangling, with the PTI and other opposition parties criticizing the government for attempting to manipulate the electoral process.