ECP to mull over attending or not elections meeting in Presidency

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) considering attend or remain absent from a meeting on provincial elections in the Presidency, citing sources ARY News reported on Sunday.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has summoned a consultative meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00am. The meeting will decide to attend or not the session on elections in the presidency, sources said.

“Holding consultation over election in provinces with the president is unconstitutional and illegal,” sources said. “The President could not be consulted over elections in provinces under the constitution,” ECP sources observed.

“Only governers can be consulted over the matter,” according to sources.

“The election commission’s legal team has suggested absence from the session summoned by the president,” sources said. “Consultation with the president will be illegal and unconstitutional,” ECP legal team said.

Earlier, responding to President Dr Arif Alvi’s letter, the ECP expressed reservations over the words used by the president while addressing constitutional institutions.

In the letter, the electoral watchdog – said that the president should have use a “better choice of words” while addressing other constitutional institutions.

“The office of the president is the highest constitutional body whereas all other constitutional and legal bodies are under constitutional obligation to offer utmost respect for the president,” the letter stated.

“We are sure that it is impartial and expect paternal guidance from this prestigious office towards other constitutional bodies,” the ECP wrote, adding that there will be better choice of words while addressing other constitutional institutions.

The letter further stated that the ECP abides by the Constitution and the law and that the electoral watchdog’s job was to conduct elections whereas the president and the governors were responsible for announcing election dates.

“According to Article 48(5) of the Constitution, where the National Assembly is dissolved by the president, he shall appoint a date for the election and appoint a Caretaker cabinet,” it noted, adding: “Under Article 105(3)(a), he shall appoint a date for General Elections to the assembly and shall appoint a caretaker cabinet”.

The ECP pointed out that after dissolution of both provincial assemblies, the commission approached governors of both provinces for appointment of a date for elections, and also sent reminders.

The letter maintained that the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered a meeting with the governor regarding the provincial assembly elections and ECP officials met with governors. However, the governor refrained from providing an election date and stated that he “intends to approach the legal forum”.