The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday held a meeting to review the situation evolving after President Arif Alvi’s unilateral announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
ECP decided to consult Attorney General for Pakistan and other legal experts in this regard.
The meeting was called to after the president announced April 9 as the date for the polls of provincial assemblies.
On Monday, Alvi exercising his power under Section 57 (1) of the Elections Act, 2017, announced the election date and further asked the ECP to issue an election programme in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Act.
Alvi’s move was rejected by federal ministers who were of the view that the president had abrogated the Constitution and he had no right to announce the date.
The ECP stated that “the commission has been and will continue to make decisions without any pressure according to the Constitution and law”.
It added that the electoral watchdog is always ready to conduct an election within 90 days as per the Constitution and law, but nowhere in the Constitution, it is written that the commission will give the date for the election.
