ECP issues notifications to successful candidates from general seats

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued notifications to newly-elected members of the national and provincial assemblies, according to a statement by the electoral body.  

After a summary of issuing notifications to successful candidates was approved by the chief election commissioner, the documents were uploaded on the electoral body's website. 

However, notifications of candidates belonging to constituencies whose results have been challenged in courts were withheld. The withheld notifications, 30 in total, will be issued after the verdicts of the cases are announced.

Polls were delayed on two seats of the National Assembly and six of provincial assemblies. Elections for these seats will be held within 60 days after newly-elected members of the national and provincial assemblies take oath.

The independent candidates now have three days to join a party. The final list of positions of parties will then be issued.

The notifications to successful candidates from reserved seats will be issued after the final list of positions of political parties is compiled. Candidates from reserved seats will be notified within two days after independent candidates join political parties.

According to the electoral body, political parties have submitted their lists of preferences for reserved seats.

Assembly sessions will be called after the electoral body will have notified all successful candidates. After taking oath in the National Assembly, candidates will elect the speaker of the House along with the prime minister. 

Pakistan voted on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, for the country’s second consecutive democratic transfer of power. Voters from 85,307 constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies cast ballots in favour of the 11,855 contesting candidates. 

With 116 seats, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the winner in the National Assembly. The party also bagged the most votes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — where it ruled for the past five years. 

In Punjab, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz emerged as the single-largest party in the provincial assembly with 129 seats, while the PTI has a tally of 123. The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam has eight MPAs after the joining of an independent member, while the PPP has six. There are 28 independents in all.