President Arif Alvi urged that Pakistan’s general elections take place on November 6, 2023.
Alvi suggests election date in letter to CEC: In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, President Arif Alvi pointed out that the Prime Minister had requested the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9, 2023. According to the Pakistani Constitution, the president has the authority to announce the date of the general election “no later than ninety days from the date of the dissolution of the assembly.” Consequently, the elections must be held by the eighty-ninth day following the assembly’s dissolution, which falls on Monday, November 6, 2023.
The months-long argument over who has the authority to announce the election date—the president or the Election Commission—has come to a head with the announcement.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) respects President Arif Alvi, but there is no need for consultation on the election date in accordance with the Election Amendment Act. The presidency can announce the election date when it dissolves the assembly, but the ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan) operates autonomously. President Arif Alvi invited Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for a discussion on the date for general elections on August 23.
Additionally, the Ministry of Law informed President Arif Alvi last week that, “following the amendment to the Elections Act,” he has no influence over the announcement of the date for the general elections.
In order to get feedback on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) position that “only it had the authority to decide the election date,” the law ministry had forwarded its answer to President Arif Alvi’s letter.
The Law Ministry stated in the letter that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has the authority to announce the election date.