KARACHI: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim on Thursday said that he would be briefed over newly formulated electoral lists on July 31, adding that the upcoming general elections were a test of the system, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives at the election commission's Sindh office, Ebrahim said that a press conference would be held in Islamabad on July 31 during which a briefing would be given regarding electoral lists.

He moreover said that an announcement may also be made regarding the issuing of electoral rolls during the said press briefing.

Ebrahim further said that the country’s fate would change for the better if it experiences free and fair elections.

The chief election commissioner moreover said that he was taking steps for the implementation of election laws.

During his visit to the Sindh office, Ebrahim chaired a meeting in which he was briefed by provincial election commissioner Sono Khan Baloch.

The briefing entailed details on the preparation of electoral lists, a report on municipal elections and court cases involving the election commission.

During the meeting, Ebrahim directed officers and staff of the provincial commission to discontinue any political affiliations that they may have so that no objections could be raised pertaining to the election commission's impartiality in the wake of the upcoming elections.

He termed the publication of electoral lists the ECP's first priority and said that the commission should remove all related discrepancies and objections raised by the public.

On a previous occasion, Ebrahim had said that only three free and fair general elections have been held in the history of the country.

He had said that the elections held in 1971, 1988 and 2008 were to some extent free and fair.

Justice Ebrahim is the first Chief Election Commissioner appointed through a changed procedure involving a parliamentary committee with equal representation of the treasury and opposition. He is also the first CEC appointed for a term of five years under a provision of the 18th Constitution Amendment.