In only ten years, the cost of holding general elections has risen by 261.52 percent. Official sources told The Nation on Saturday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set a price of Rs 47 billion for the general elections in 2023.
As per the sources, the price of general elections has increased by Rs 34 billion in the previous ten years. As per a source, the whole prediction of expenses for the 2013 general elections was Rs 13 billion, but this was boosted to Rs 31 billion for the 2018 elections. According to the report, the provision of confidentiality, the price level, a rise in the number of voters, polling stations, and technology usage were all main elements in increasing the number of general elections. Â
According to sources, the cost of early elections in the country will remain the same regardless of whether they are held recently or in the middle of the year.
As per the reports, ballot papers, election material, election officials, and transportation for general election voters will almost be the same now and in a year.
He also added that due to the money not being under the ECP, it was the responsibility of the government to provide and maintain a stable expense for the elections.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Sikander Sultan Raja, responded to the Supreme Court’s question that if the ECP would be stable enough to conduct the elections in the upcoming 90 days, after all the constant requests to the government to permit for the delimitation of the electoral district, the government did not allow at all. Â
He claimed in the Court that delimitation would be taking almost around 4 months and the General Elections would be requiring 90 more days.
Previously, the PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed that following the electoral reforms and amendments to accountability legislation, the country will be conducting new elections.
