ISLAMABAD: The process of candidate withdrawal and retirement in elections is governed by distinct legal provisions, with significant implications for the voting process and ballot design, as outlined in a recent press release.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, Section 72(1) of the Elections Act 2017 allows candidates, who have already been allocated an election symbol, to retire from the election by submitting a signed written notice to the Returning Officer. This notice must be submitted no later than four days before polling day and can be delivered personally by the candidate or through an advocate with written authorisation. Once submitted, the decision to retire is irrevocable, akin to the withdrawal process under Section 65 of the same Act.

The press release further explains that while both processes have similar legal outcomes, the timing of withdrawal or retirement affects the ballot paper. Candidates who withdraw before the final candidate list is published do not appear on the ballot. However, those who retire post-symbol allocation will still have their names printed, despite being out of the race.

FAFEN's election observation highlighted that retired candidates received over 200,000 votes during the General Election 2024. Although a retired candidate could theoretically receive the highest number of votes in a constituency, such votes would not influence the electoral outcome. The four-day notice period for retirement is strictly enforced, and any notice submitted after this deadline is considered invalid, maintaining the individual's status as a contesting candidate.