The Ministry of Law and Justice Wednesday sent a reply letter to the President over the issue of giving an opinion to the President on the date of general elections.
According to the 24News HD TV channel, the ministry told the President in the letter that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has the authority to give the date of the elections.
In the letter, the Ministry of Law and Justice said under the Election Act, the competent authority to give the date of elections is the Election Commission.
The ministry further said in the letter that assemblies were dissolved on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, so the Election Commission has the authority to give the date.
If the President of the State had automatically dissolved the Assemblies under Article 58, then the President of the State had the authority to give the date of the election, the Law Ministry replied in a letter, adding that even if the President's argument is accepted as correct, under Article 48 (5), only the date of the National Assembly can be given.

Last week, The president had written to the CEC on Wednesday, inviting him to meet and finalize a date for the general elections within the 90-day constitutional deadline ending in early November.
CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday refused to hold a meeting with President Alvi to finalize the poll date, while alluding to the recent amendment to the Election Act, 2017. He was of the view that the meeting would be of no use.
After the CEC rejoinder, President Alvi wrote a letter to the Ministry of Law and Justice seeking “advice” following Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s “refusal to meet the head of the state for fixing an appropriate date” for general elections.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori