The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary, Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad, on Monday wrote to the Federal Secretary for Law and Justice Karamat Hussain Niazi seeking the early publication of the results of the national census so that the ECP may carry out the process of delimitation of constituencies required under the Elections Act of 2017.

In the letter, Muhammad pointed out that under Atricle 51(5) of the Constitution, seats are allocated to the provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and the Federal Capital in accordance with their population.

Noting that the provisional results of the national census released last week showed "tangible demographic changes," the ECP secretary said that the reallocation of seats not only in the NA, but also in the provincial assemblies had become necessary.

Muhammad said that if seats are to be reallocated accordingly, the ECP will have to delimit constituencies as per Chapter 3 of the Elections Act 2017.

Under Chapter Three of the Act, the ECP is required to delimit "territorial constituencies for elections to the NA, each Provincial Assembly and to the local governments." The process is to be carried out after every census.

"Keeping in view the importance, magnitude of work and the time period required for completion" of delimitation," Muhammad insisted on the early publication of the official census results, fearing that a delay would not allow the process to be completed in time.