Islamabad :The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed political parties to submit their consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year 2022-23 by August 29th.
As stated by the ECP spokesperson, political parties were obligated under Section 210 of the Elections Act, 2017, in conjunction with Section 204 of the same Act, along with rules 159 and 160 of the Election Rules, 2017, to submit their financial statements for the fiscal year ending on June 30th no later than August 29th, 2023.
As a reminder, Section 210 of the Elections Act, 2017 stipulates that a political party must, following the outlined procedure, furnish the Commission with a consolidated audited financial statement within sixty days after the conclusion of a financial year. This statement, documented on Form-D, should encompass yearly income and expenses, fund sources, as well as asset and liability information.
The report that needs to be provided to the ECP must include an accountant’s audit report of the political party’s accounts, along with a certificate signed by an authorized party member, as designated by the party head. This certificate affirms that the party did not receive funds from any prohibited source according to the Elections Act, 2017, and also confirms the accuracy of the financial details within the statement.
The financial statement is required to be submitted using Form-D, as outlined in the Elections Act, 2017. Printed copies of these forms were accessible at no charge in the Election Commission Secretariat in Islamabad, as well as at the offices of the provincial election commissioners in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Additionally, Form-D and the source of funds proforma were also made available on the ECP’s official website.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) emphasized the importance of avoiding overwriting. They also instructed that the membership or certificate from ICAP for the engaged Auditor should be attached to Form-D, along with the most recent valid renewal certificate. Additionally, Form-D must include clear copies of the party’s bank statements from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, as well as a bank reconciliation statement.
The statement should be directed to the Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan at Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad. It should be handed over by a party office bearer who has been authorized by the party head according to rule 156 of the Election Rules, 2017. The statement won’t be accepted if sent via post, fax, courier service, or any other method.