National Assembly Approves Bill to Restrict Political Party Affiliation for Independent Candidates

The National Assembly’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee approved amendments to the Elections Act 2017 on Wednesday.
The bill aims to prevent independent candidates from switching to political parties after elections.
The amendments also address issues related to reserved seats and political party affiliations.

On Wednesday, the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee passed a bill to amend the Elections Act 2017. The bill, which passed with eight votes in favor and four against, aims to restrict independent candidates from joining political parties after the general elections. Shahid Akhtar, an MNA from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), chose to abstain from voting.

The proposed amendments, tabled by Bilal Azhar Kiyani of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), focus on Sections 66 and 104 of the Elections Act. They stipulate that candidates who run as independents cannot later claim affiliation with a political party. Additionally, if an independent candidate later submits a notarized statement claiming party affiliation, they will still be considered an independent candidate.

The bill also introduces new rules for political parties regarding the submission of reserved seat lists to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Parties failing to meet the deadline will lose their entitlement to reserved seats. Furthermore, candidates who do not declare their party affiliation before applying for an election symbol will be classified as independents.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan provided differing views on the bill’s implications and advocacy. The new provisions are set to take effect immediately, aligning with the commencement of the Elections Act 2017.