ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (NNI): President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and proposed November 6 as the date for general elections in the country.
In the letter, the president said he had dissolved the National Assembly on the prime minister’s advice on August 9.
The president cited Article 48(5) of the Constitution, which he said “empowers and mandates the president ‘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’”.
Hence, “in terms of Article 48(5), the general election to the National Assembly should be held by the 89th day of the date of dissolution of the National Assembly, i.e. Monday, 6th day of November 2023”, the letter read.
The president recalled in the letter that “in an endeavour to fulfil the constitutional obligations, the Chief Election Commissioner was invited for a meeting to devise the modalities of implementing the constitutional intent and mandate”.
But in his reply, the CEC “took a contrary view that as per the scheme of the Constitution and framework of electoral laws, it was the domain of the Election Commission, and following the publication of last preceding census on August 7, duly notified delimitation of constituencies was in progress, a mandatory requirement stipulated by Article 51(5) of the Constitution and section 17 of the Elections Act, 2017”, the letter said.
Moreover, the Law Ministry also had the same view on the matter, it said, adding that all four provincial governments were of the opinion that the announcement of the election date was the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) mandate.
“Further, there is a consensus that to strengthen the federation and to promote unity and harmony amongst provinces and to avoid incurring unnecessary expenses, general elections to the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies must be held on the same day,” it further stated.
“THEREFORE, taking into account all the above, the Election Commission of Pakistan in consultation with Provincial Governments and political parties under the relevant provisions of the Constitution and in view that some of these matters are already subjudice, may seek guidance from the Superior Judiciary for announcement of a single date for general election to the National and Provincial Assemblies,” he writes.
Acknowledging that it was the ECP’s responsibility to abide by all the constitutional and legal steps stipulated under Articles 51, 218, 219, 220 and the Elections Act, 2017 for organising and conducting free and fair elections, the president advised that the ECP, in “consultation with provincial governments and political parties under the relevant provisions of the Constitution and in view that some of these matters are already subjudice, may seek guidance from the superior judiciary for announcement of a single date for general election to the national and provincial assemblies”.
The president’s advice to the CEC comes against the backdrop of divided opinions among stakeholders on the time frame for elections.
According to Article 244 of the Constitution, elections are supposed to be held by November 9, within 90 days of the premature dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9.
However, the ECP says the elections will be pushed beyond the constitutionally mandated cutoff date following the notification of new 2023 digital census results. The ECP bases its decision on Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states: “The commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.”
Similarly, while the president has highlighted constitutional provisions authorising him to announce the poll date, the ECP refers to a recent amendment to the Elections Act 2017 that empowered the commission to announce the dates for polls unilaterally without having to consult the president.
Commenting on the development, lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii termed the president letter a “damp squib” and “toothless”.
Taking to Twitter, Jafferii said, “Everyone knows what ‘should’ be the date. Everyone was looking at you to give the date. My dear dentist, this is toothless”. NNI
