ISLAMABAD: Despite its failure, so far, in announcing a date for the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has claimed that the (already delayed) general elections in the country would not see any further delay—to be held in the last week of January next year.
The ECP, that is under fire from mainstream political parties for its failure to not only hold the general elections within the constitutionally-mandated 90-day period but also fix a date even beyond the 90-day period, issued a rejoinder on Thursday to President Arif Alvi’s statement wherein he expressed apprehensions over possible further delay in the general elections.
In an interview to a television channel aired Wednesday, Alvi categorically stated that he twice wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja (last month).
Elections to be held in last week of January: ECP
In the first letter, the president invited the CEC for a meeting over picking a date for general elections but the CEC declined to meet him. In the second letter, Alvi proposed the coming November 6 as a date for holding general elections in the country but the CEC did not respond to that letter.
The president, in the interview, minced no words to state that parliamentary amendment in Section 57(1) of the Elections Act 2017 empowering the ECP to appoint the date for general elections was a glaring violation of the constitution.
In response to Alvi’s interview, the ECP said, it “strongly denies” that there is any possibility of delay in the general elections.
The Article 58(1) of the constitution provides that the president shall dissolve the National Assembly, if so advised by the prime minister; and the NA shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved at the expiration of 48 hours after the PM has so advised.
Previously, under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act 2017, the president was required to consult the commission before appointing a date for election. However, after amendment in Section 57(1) by the Parliament in June this year, the commission has been empowered to announce the date or dates for the general polls, it added.
Article 224(2) provides that when the NA or a provincial assembly is dissolved, a general election to the assembly shall be held within a period of 90 days after the dissolution, and the results of the election shall be declared not later than 14 days after the conclusion of the polls.
The NA was dissolved on August 9, this year. Constitutionally, the cut-off date for holding general elections is November 7.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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