President Alvi invites ECP chief to fix appropriate date for elections
Pakistan
Says 'the President is obliged to appoint date not later than 90 days from' dissolution of assembly
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday sent a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, inviting him to a meeting to fix a date for general elections in the country.
The letter comes as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to conduct fresh delimitation of constituencies in line with the new census, making it almost clear that general elections may not be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.
The National Assembly of Pakistan was dissolved prematurely on August 9 and the constitutionally stipulated time for elections in this case is 90 days.
Article 224 of the Constitution states that the ECP shall hold general elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies. Meanwhile, Section 17(2) of the Elections Act reads, “The commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.”
The electoral body defended its move to go for delimitation in an order issued earlier this month, stating that the process was essential to ensure transparency.
“The Commission holds and decides that carrying out fresh delimitation of constituencies on the basis of last preceding census officially published in 2023 is mandatory requirement of law as contained in section l7(2) of the Elections Act,20l7, before the ensuing General Election to ensure the fulfillment of duty under Article 2l8(3) of the Constitution and for the true representation to the electorate, political parties and contesting candidates to protect their fundamental rights,” the order read.
In the letter, the president said the National Assembly was dissolved on the advice of the Prime Minister on August , 2023.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) August 23, 2023
“And Whereas by virtue of Article 48 (5) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is obliged to appoint a date not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution for the holding of the General Election of Assembly,” he wrote.
Citing Clause 5 of Article 48, the president said it was his duty to “appoint a date, not later than ninety days from the date of the dissolution, for the holding of a general election to the Assembly”.
