IT is important that the general election be held on time, the caretaker administrations at the centre and in the provinces function smoothly, and a peaceful transition of power take place.

It would not be an exaggeration to claim that the very future of the democratic project in the country is dependent on an on-time election, uncontroversial caretaker set-ups and a peaceful transition after the general election.

So, it is with some despair and even alarm that several election-related conflicts that have broken out must be viewed.

Unsurprisingly, the Balochistan Assembly is leading the way in attempts to try and delay or perhaps even derail the general election.

A sudden and mysterious resolution moved in the Balochistan Assembly demanding that the general election be postponed has sent ripples across the political landscape.

Orchestrated by the same elements in the assembly that hijacked the PML-N party and installed a political outsider as chief minister of the province, the resolution in the assembly can be interpreted as an effort to pander to or follow the instructions of anti-democratic forces in the country.

The resolution must be dismissed by the ECP and disregarded by the country on account of its frivolous reasons.

An on-time election is of vastly greater national importance than the faux reasons offered in the resolution for postponement.

If the shenanigans in the Balochistan Assembly were somewhat predictable, the sudden reversal of the PTI in Punjab on its own nominee for caretaker chief minister, Nasir Khosa, whose name had been agreed to by the PML-N is mystifying and shocking.

While the PTI’s reversal does not preclude a fresh agreement with the PML-N in Punjab and a caretaker chief minister is constitutionally guaranteed to be installed within days of the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, the inability of the PTI to provide a cogent or credible reason for upending the nomination will add to apprehensions about behind-the-scenes manoeuvring by anti-democratic forces.

The confused and uncertain political landscape has been further undermined by judicial intervention.

The issue of fresh delimitation of constituencies after the census had threatened to disrupt the election timeline, but it was hoped that controversy could eventually be avoided.

The judicial intervention may be necessary — it is quite possible that the rules for delimitation have not been followed in several constituencies — but it adds to the air of uncertainty.

It is necessary, then, for the delay in Punjab to be quickly resolved as a first step to putting the caretaker set-ups back on track.

Yesterday, the ECP announced the schedule for the upcoming elections while the National Assembly stood dissolved at midnight.

With bumps in the road expected between now and polling day, July 25, the political class should move swiftly to complete its constitutional duties and allow the caretaker administrations a relatively smooth beginning.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2018