President Arif Alvi suggests election date in letter to CEC

ISLAMAABAD: President Arif Alvi on Wednesday suggested November 6, 2023 as the date for general elections in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner, President Arif Alvi noted that the National Assembly was dissolved on Prime Minister’s advice on August 9, 2023 and the Constitution of Pakistan empowers the president to announce a date for general election “not later than ninety days from the date of the dissolution (of assembly)” so election should be held by the eighty-ninth day of the date of dissolution of Assembly i.e. Monday, November 06, 2023.

صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی کا چيف الیکشن کمشنر ، سکندر سلطان راجہ، کے نام خط

صدر مملکت نے 9 اگست کو وزیراعظم کے مشورے پر قومی اسمبلی کو تحلیل کیا، صدر مملکت pic.twitter.com/5W88oKxX62

— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) September 13, 2023

The announcement can be termed the culmination of the months-long debate over whether the President or the Election Commission has the right to announce the date of elections.

President Arif Alvi had invited Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja to discuss the date for general elections on August 23 upon which the CEC wrote a letter to him stating that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) respects President Arif Alvi, but there is no need for consultation on the election date as per the Election Amendment Act, the president can announce the election date when the assembly is dissolved by the presidency, however, ECP is autonomous in announcing the date.

Last week, the Ministry of Law had also conveyed to President Arif Alvi that he has no role in the announcement of date for general elections “following the amendment in Elections Act.

The law ministry had forwarded its response to President Arif Alvi’s letter, seeking opinion on Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) stance that “only it had the authority to decide the election date”.

In the letter, the Law ministry said that the right of announcing the date of election rests with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).