Fawad warns CEC, provincial governors of Article 6 if Punjab, KP polls delayed
Pakistan
Fawad said polls should be held within 90 days after dissolution of assemblies as per constitution.
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the assemblies as per the constitution.
Fawad Chaudhry said that if elections were not held within 90 days as per the constitution after the dissolution of Punjab and KP assemblies, it would be a violation of the Constitution.
He said that any attempt by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) or provincial governors to defer the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beyond the 90-day period allowed by the Constitution, Article 6 of the Constitution will be applicable on them.
He said that President Arif Alvi in letter has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce the date of elections for provincial assemblies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
He said that if the Chief Election Commissioner did not announce the election date, then the President can do it.
It is pertinent to mention here that in the letter, Mr Alvi referred to the dissolution of the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said “the election of an Assembly is to be held within 90 days of the dissolution as provided by the Article 224(2) of the Constitution”. He added that the conduct and holding of elections was the primary and essential duty of the ECP as per PART VIII of the Constitution, particularly Article 218 (3) which assigned the duty to the ECP to ensure the holding of fair and free elections.
He conveyed that it was ultimately the Commission which, if it failed to discharge its functions and duties, was to be held responsible and answerable for the violation of the Constitution of the country.
