The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has recommended that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) conduct a “thorough and impartial investigation” into several election related matters.

These include delays in the transmission, consolidation and announcement of provisional results, and the failure to publish signed copies of forms 45, 46, 48 and 49 within 14 days of polling day as required under the Elections Act, 2017, and the lack of contingency planning to meet result issuance deadlines in case of the EMS inoperability.

Pildat further recommends that election tribunals should be allowed to resolve disputes on a case-by-case basis

“Pildat is deeply concerned that only two Election Tribunals have been constituted in Punjab compared to eight constituted after 2018 general election and nine reportedly requested by the ECP this time,” according to an assessment by the group.

It also demanded that a Commission of Enquiry be formed similar to the one formed to probe the 2013 election.