Widely expected decision.

AS was widely expected, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Wednesday, decided to postpone elections for the Punjab Assembly slated for April 30 and proposed October 8 as the new date for the purpose. In a notification, the Commission scrapped the electoral process including the election schedule issued earlier citing security as the major reason for change in the plan. PTI, which dissolved the two assemblies of Punjab and KP with the hope to force the federal government to go for an early general election, has reacted sharply to the postponement describing it as violation of the Constitution and directions of the Supreme Court.

The reaction of the PTI is understandable but the Commission too has legitimate justification to delay polls in view of the ground realities. It is a matter of record that after the split verdict of the Supreme Court, the Commission proposed two dates to the President of Pakistan for holding elections to the Punjab Assembly and Dr. Arif Alvi picked up the date of April 30 for the purpose. Subsequently, the ECP moved ahead with plans to hold the polls on the announced date and held internal meetings as well as consultations with other stakeholders and institutions for the purpose. An election schedule was also issued and the phase of submission of nomination papers for contesting elections was successfully completed. However, the electoral exercise requires huge manpower and this in turn requires hiring of personnel from other institutions for the conduct of the election and security responsibilities, which assume greater significance in the given political environment, rising tension and the fresh wave of terrorism. The situation is so fluid that even the PTI chief, on an almost daily basis, makes claims of plans to eliminate him. The Commission had marathon sessions with the relevant institutions and agencies and the outcome has been shared by the Commission in the notification issued on Wednesday. Punjab Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police (IGP) informed the stakeholders in a meeting of the serious law and order situation, quoting various incidents in the province and the country. For deputation on election duty, there is a shortfall of approximately 386,623 security personnel, the notification said, which can only be covered by deploying army soldiers and Rangers...