ISLAMABAD: Political parties failing to submit certificates of intra-party elections and their statements of accounts will not be allowed to compete in the upcoming general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said Friday.

According to a press release by the ECP, election symbols will not be allotted to those parties which fail to furnish their account details and proof of elections within their internal ranks, thus barring them from taking part in the polls.

In view of legal position stated above, fresh applications will be invited from the political parties at the time of next general elections for allotment of election symbols and symbols will be allotted to only those political parties, who fulfill the requirement of Articles 12 & 13 of the aforesaid order, said the release.

General elections in Pakistan are expected in spring, with the governments constitutional five-year term ending on March 16. According to a report published in Dawn last month, over 200 parties have registered with the election commission to contest the upcoming polls.