The Election Commission in Pakistan has warned that the upcoming polls in the country may be delayed if the candidates keep requesting to change   election symbols already allocated to them.

Without naming any court, the ECP in a statement pointed out that election symbols were being changed through various forums, reported Dawn News.

The ECP said it has already directed to print ballot papers and the process has already been initiated.

“If the process of changing the election symbols continues in the same way, there is a fear of election delay, because the ballot papers will have to be reprinted for which time is already limited and on the other hand, the special paper available for the ballot papers will also be lost,” the ECP was quoted as saying in a statement by Dawn News.

The commission said the country witnessed 33 percent spike in the number of candidates for the upcoming general elections.

According to ECP spokesman Syed Nadeem Haider, the ECP directed the provincial election commissioners, DROs and ROs to avoid changing election symbols at this stage, and to seek its approval if a change was essentially required.

Pakistan is scheduled to vote in the national polls next month.