Law Ministry yet to reply to president’s letter on election date

The question mark over who will give the date for general elections still persists, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

Sources told 24News TV channel that while President Dr. Arif Alvi was waiting for the Ministry of Law’s response to his letter in which he had sought the ministry’s opinion on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s letter on the election date, the ministry, on the other hand, had still not drafted its response to the letter penned down by the president.

Sources further said that the ministry officials were still holding consultations. 

The chief election commissioner had a day before yesterday (Thursday, August 24) responded to the letter written to him by the president for a meeting to “fix an appropriate date” for general elections, saying that it was no of use after changes to the election law.

The CEC had further said that under the amended Election Act, it was the ECP, not president, who was supposed to give the date for elections.

The president had written to Raja a day before yesterday (Wednesday) in which had invited him to a meeting on holding general elections in the country.

In his letter, President Alvi had quoted Article 244 of the constitution, saying he was duty-bound to get the elections conducted in the 90 days’ prescribed period once the National Assembly was dissolved prematurely.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori