ISLAMABAD: President house has sought an opinion from law ministry regarding authority of announcement of election date. As per details, a letter was written to the Ministry of Law and Justice’s secretary from the President House The letter asked for the law ministry’s opinion on the CEC response letter regarding the election date.
It may be noted that President Arif Alvi on Wednesday invited Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for a meeting to decide the date of general elections.
In the letter President wrote that he dissolved the National Assembly on August 09 on the advice of the prime minister. “President is bound to give the date of general elections, being held within 90 days after dissolution of the assembly under the Article 48-V,” the President wrote in the letter.
However, earlier today the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja decided ‘against’ meeting President Alvi on his invitation to discuss the general election date.
The decision was reportedly taken during a meeting of the ECP to discuss the legal and constitutional options in line with the president’s letter.
According to the briefing of the legal team, the CEC was advised not to ‘consult’ President Alvi on the election date as after the Election Amendment Act, there is no need for such consultation.
After the briefing, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja decided ‘against’ meeting the president and wrote a letter to him. –Agencies
