Islamabad (Web Desk/Agencies): President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday invited Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja for an urgent meeting on February 20 regarding consultations on date of general elections.
The meeting, to be held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, will discuss Section 57(1) of Elections Act, 2017 that provides that the President shall announce the date or dates of the general elections after consultation with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In his letter to the CEC, the president said that since his letter dated 8th February, some substantial developments (e.g, the Judgment of the Honourable Lahore High Court and recent observations of the Honourable Supreme Court) took place.
President Alvi expressed displeasure over the apathy and inaction on the part of the Commission that didn’t respond to his earlier letter as yet.
The president stated that he had waited anxiously that the ECP would realize its constitutional duties to proceed and act accordingly, but was extremely dismayed by the commission’s poignant approach on this important matter.
In his letter, President Alvi once again reminded the ECP that being conscious of his constitutional responsibility of preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution, he was inviting CEC for the meeting on February 20 at his office to consult on the date or dates of the general elections.
It is pertinent to mention that on February 8, President Alvi had written to the ECP and urged it to ensure that both provincial and national general elections are held within the constitutionally mandated time.
Earlier this month, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered ECP to ensure that elections in Punjab will be held within 90 days.
Announcing the reserved verdict, Justice Jawad Hassan accepted the PTI plea and asked the electoral body to stage the polls within the constitutional limit.
The PTI had moved the high court requesting the court to direct the election commission issue the dates for the elections in Punjab.
On February 15, the Supreme Court (SC) also directed the ECP to implement LHC's orders on general elections.
