KP Governor earlier proposed May 28 as date for polls, but later he asked ECP to stage polls on October 8 due to security concerns

A voter casting her vote during an election. 

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) late night Wednesday notified October 08 as the date of the general election to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly.

“In pursuance of dissolution of the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 18, 2023, order of March 01, 2023, passed by the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan in suo motu case, selection of election date for the conduct of general election to the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as 8th October 2023, the ECP hereby, notifies October 08, 2023, as the poll date for the general election to KP Assembly,” the notification issued by the commission says.

The KP governor had earlier proposed May 28 as the date for the polls, but later citing security concerns, he asked the ECP to hold the polls on October 8.

According to the notification, the election programme for election to the KP assembly under Section 57 (2) of the Elections Act, 2017 will be issued in due course of time.

KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali had written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, fixing the election date for the KP Assembly election, also mentioning a deteriorating law and order situation in the province. He said in the letter, “Since the ECP has postponed the election date for the general elections of Punjab province to October 8, 2023, therefore, it is also suggested that same Oct 8, 2023, be proposed/appointed as the election date for General Elections of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the best public interest as well as in the interest of the state.” “On receipt of the date from the KP Governor, the ECP had its meeting on the matter, as the file was put up before it but some other key developments got priority,” said a senior ECP official while talking to The News.