ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to take any decision on Wednesday over the matter involving the announcement of the general elections’ date in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by President Arif Alvi a day earlier.
The commission officials held a meeting with the federal government officials to take up the issue of the general elections date in the two provincial assemblies but the huddle is said to have remained inconclusive.
Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Shehzad Ata Elahi shared the government’s input on the matter.
Some reports suggested that the AGP was of the view that the president was mandated to give general elections date for the National Assembly and not the provincial assemblies under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act 2017. The AGP, it is further learnt, said that it was the authority of the governor concerned to announce the general elections date for any provincial assembly after its dissolution under Article 105(3) of the constitution.
ECP turns down Alvi’s invitation to meeting on elections
However, the meeting proved inconclusive keeping in view that the said article of the constitution empowers the governor to announce the date for the provincial assembly’s elections only after he dissolves the legislature, it is learnt.
Moreover, the existing law empowers the president to simply give general election(s) date without specifying the NA/ provincial assemblies.
The ECP decided to hold further consultations on the matter before taking any decision, it is further learnt.
Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman has already refused the ECP from fixing a date for Punjab Assembly elections on the grounds that he did not dissolve the Punjab Assembly. Governor KP has also refused the poll body from giving any date for the KP Assembly polls. Instead, he has asked the ECP to pick the elections date after consulting the “relevant institutions.”
Article 105(3) of the constitution reads that where the governor dissolves the provincial assembly—he shall appoint general elections not later than 90 from the date of its dissolution.
President Alvi, Monday, announced April 9 as the date for holding general elections of Punjab and KP assemblies, in exercise of his powers under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act 2017, and asked the ECP to issue elections schedule in accordance with Section 57(2) of the same law.
Section 57(1) of Elections Act 2017 provides that the president shall announce the date(s) of the general elections after consultation with ECP.
Alvi invited the ECP for consultations but the commission refused to be part of Monday meeting, taking the stance that the matter was subjudice.
Section 57(2) of Elections Act 2017 requires from the ECP to issue election(s) schedule within a week after the announcement of election(s) date by the president.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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