General Elections
President Dr. Arif Alvi emphasized the need to uphold the “supremacy of the Constitution” and ensure that decisions align with the spirit of the Constitution during a meeting with Caretaker Law and Justice Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam, as per a statement from the President’s office.
The meeting, which discussed various issues related to the upcoming general elections in the country, followed President Alvi’s engagement with legal experts to address the response received from the Ministry of Law and Justice concerning Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Syed Sikandar Sultan Raja’s remarks on the election date.
Last week, the Ministry of Law and Justice had conveyed its perspective to the President, asserting that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) possessed the authority to announce or appoint the date for general elections to the national and provincial assemblies.
This response was in reply to the President’s query about the ECP’s stance that there was no requirement for the election body to consult the president on appointing the election date.
President Alvi’s commitment to upholding the Constitution’s supremacy and his encouragement for decisions to be in line with its principles highlight the importance of constitutional adherence in the upcoming electoral process.
Uncertainty Surrounding Polls: President Urges Constitution’s Supremacy in Electoral Decisions
The Shehbaz Sharif-led government dissolved the National Assembly on August 9, along with prematurely dissolving the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies. This step aimed to extend the electoral authority’s time frame to hold elections in 90 days, rather than the standard 60 days if the legislature completed its constitutional tenure.
However, the ECP may face challenges in conducting the polls within the specified period. The Council of Common Interest (CCI), under the leadership of then-prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023 just before the assembly dissolutions.
The CCI’s approval mandated the poll watchdog to conduct elections based on fresh delimitations following the census results. Article 51 (5) of the Constitution dictates that National Assembly seats allocation must align with the population data from the last published census.
Consequently, on August 17, the ECP announced a new delimitation schedule, set to be completed in December this year. The ECP’s timeline indicates that fresh delimitation will take approximately four months, making it impossible to hold general elections within 90 days of dissolving the provincial and national assemblies.
