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The President’s House on Thursday sought the opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) response to the letter of President Dr Arif Alvi.
The President’s House requested input from the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding the ECP’s stance that only it had the authority to declare the election date in a letter.
ایوانِ صدر نے الیکشن کمیشن آف پاکستان کے خط پر وزارت قانون و انصاف کی رائے مانگ لی
ایوانِ صدر نے الیکشن کمیشن کے مؤقف کہ الیکشن کی تاریخ دینے کا اختیار صرف الیکشن کمیشن کے پاس ہے پر رائے مانگی
ایوانِ صدر نے صدرمملکت کے کل کے خط کے جواب میں الیکشن کمیشن کے مؤقف پر رائےمانگی ہے
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) August 24, 2023
The development comes after President Alvi invited Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to select a date for elections, but Raja declined. He asserted that the ECP alone has the authority to choose a date for general elections.
The president had written to Raja on Wednesday, inviting him for a meeting regarding holding general elections in the country.
In his letter, President Alvi quoted Article 244 of the Constitution, saying he was duty-bound to get the elections conducted in the 90 days’ prescribed period once the National Assembly is dissolved prematurely.
In his reply, the CEC said that Section 57 of the Elections Act had been amended due to an act of Parliament, which had empowered the ECP to announce dates for general elections.
“Where the president dissolves the National Assembly, in his discretion, as provided in Article 58(2) read with Article 48(5) of the Constitution then he has to appoint a date for the general elections,” read the reply.
“However, if the assembly is dissolved on the advice of the prime minister or by afflux of time as provided in Article 58(1) of the Constitution, then the commission understands and believes that power to appoint a date or dates for elections rest exclusively with the Commission.”
