ISLAMABAD: The Senate is expected to pass a bill for new delimitation of constituencies on Monday following ?backdoor contacts? between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2017, pertains to the fresh delimitation of constituencies in line with the provisional results of the latest census in light of the general elections next year.

The bill has already been adopted by the National Assembly, but the government has so far failed to get it approved by the Senate despite repeated attempts.

On November 17, voting on the bill was postponed as the required number of lawmakers were not present in the Senate. The house of 104 needed a two-thirds majority to pass the bill whereas less than 50 lawmakers were present in the house.

However, backdoor contacts between the PPP - which has a majority in the Senate - and the ruling PML-N have resulted in a conditional nod by the PPP, sources said.

Sources added that the government has agreed to PPP's demand that it would hold only one election based on new delimitation.

According to the new delimitation of constituencies, Punjab's seat share in the National Assembly will decrease by nine seats, while Islamabad will get one more seat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa five and Balochistan three more.

NA seats for FATA and Sindh will remain unchanged.