CEC refuses to meet president for talks on elections date

Islamabad: The chief election commissioner (CEC) has decided against meeting the president, in response to a letter Dr Arif Alvi wrote to Sikandar Sultan Raja inviting him for consultation on a date for elections.

According to sources, this decision was made during a significant meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to discuss the president's letter to the CEC.

In response to a request for a meeting on the day of the polls, the top election commissioner has issued his own letter to the president.

The letter states that under the Elections (Amendment) Act 2017, only the election commission is responsible for giving a date for polls.

A few adjustments were made to Section 57 of the Elections Act as a result of an amendment. The president was required to be consulted in the past before the election date was declared. However, the election commission is currently fully in charge of that duty.

The CEC also states in the letter that the president would have the authority to declare elections if the assembly were to be dissolved in accordance with Article 58(2)(b).

The constitutional allusions made in the president's letter, according to Raja, are irrelevant.

Earlier, president Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja to reach a consensus regarding the polls date.

According to the president's letter, the assembly would be dissolved in accordance with article 48(5) of the constitution within 90 days.

The National Assembly was dissolved on August 9 at the President's recommendation, it should be noted.