Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Bilal Azhar Kiyani has introduced the Election Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the National Assembly. The proposed amendments aim to restrict independent candidates from changing their status to that of a political party candidate after the general elections.
The bill of PML-N Lawmakers seeks to amend Sections 66 and 104 of the Election Act, 2017, stipulating that independent candidates cannot later declare affiliation with any political party. According to the bill, if an independent candidate submits a notarized statement declaring party affiliation post-election, they will not be recognized as a party candidate.
Additionally, the bill proposes that political parties failing to submit their reserved seats lists within the prescribed timeframe to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will forfeit their eligibility for these seats.
The bill also outlines that candidates must declare their party affiliation before seeking an election symbol; failure to do so will classify them as independent candidates.
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The introduction of the bill comes in response to recent legal battles involving the PTI. Following a Supreme Court ruling that confirmed PTI’s status as a political party entitled to reserved seats, the PTI, which had initially contested as independents, is now poised to gain additional representation.
The bill was met with criticism from opposition members and has been forwarded to the relevant standing committee by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
The controversy traces back to the February 8 elections when PTI members contested as independents to circumvent restrictions on reserved seats. The Supreme Court’s subsequent decision and the ECP’s implementation have intensified the debate, prompting the ruling coalition to file a review petition against the reserved seats verdict.
