President Alvi invites ECP Chief to fix elections date
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President Arif Hussain Alvi has invited the Chief of Election Commission of Pakistan Sikandar Sultan Raja for a meeting to fix an appropriate date for holding the general elections in the country, “the 24NewsHd TV channel reported on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner on August 23, President Alvi invited Sikander Sultan Raja for a meeting with him today or tomorrow to fix an appropriate date.
President Alvi said that the National Assembly was dissolved on the advice of the prime minister on August 9.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی کا چیف الیکشن کمشنر، سکندر سلطان راجہ، کو خط
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) August 23, 2023
صدر مملکت نے جنرل الیکشن کی تاریخ کا فیصلہ کرنے کیلئے چیف الیکشن کمشنر کو آج یا کل مُلاقات کی دعوت دے دی
صدر مملکت نے 09.08.2023 کو وزیر اعظم کے مشورے پر قومی اسمبلی کو تحلیل کیا، صدر کے خط کا متن pic.twitter.com/JpRXqcnHsw
ECP has been conveyed that clause 5 (A) of Article 48 and clause 2 of Article 224 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan provides that the President shall appoint a date, not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution of the National Assembly, for holding general elections to the National Assembly.
In order to carry out the mandate of the Constitution of announcing the date of general elections and appoint a caretaker Cabinet, consultation with the Election Commission is required under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act, 2017, the letter stated.
The National Assembly was dissolved after President Alvi signed a summary for the dissolution on August 9.
Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent the summary after receiving it from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
The law states that even if the president does not sign the summary the assembly stands dissolved 48 hours after the summary is sent. However, the president signed the document bringing an end to the coalition government’s tenure in the center.
The president’s letter to ECP has ensued a new debate that under the new law, the Election Commission has been given the authority to give date of the elections, what is the status of the President's letter?