ISLAMABAD: The tussle between the two constitutional offices of the Presidency and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the question of holding elections to the dissolved Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and KPK and general elections in this matter again in the Supreme Judiciary.
Top sources told The News on Sunday that the ECP’s full-house meeting would give a “proper” response to its letter to the Speaker asking the commission to announce the schedule at the earliest. Inappropriate language was used.
The ECP huddle will be held today (Monday) before noon. Initial discussions between the two constitutional offices at the Secretariat level indicate that the Commission is in no mood to bow to any pressure.
It has been pointed out that no consultative process could take place between the Presidency and the ECP as the matter is currently pending.
Sources revealed that the constitutional deadline of “90 days” for holding elections after the dissolution of provincial assemblies has been ignored as the timeline for submission of nomination papers for holding elections and the election campaign schedule. The period could not be completed.
For elections to both the Assemblies, whenever they are held, the Government will have to apply Article 254 of the Constitution which reads: “Failure to comply with the requirement in time does not render an Act invalid:
“When an act or thing is required by the Constitution to be done within a certain period and it is not done within that period, the doing of the act or thing shall not be void or ineffective merely because it is within that period.” Wasn’t done in. This period.” Sources said the Presidency will decide its next course of action in a high-level meeting today (Monday). The President would like to divert the perceived conflict in the corridors of the Supreme Judiciary and would work out a course of action for this purpose in consultation. Sources have alleged that President Arif Alvi is acting at the behest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan who wants to create one crisis after another. Alavi, however, has always maintained in his media interactions that he is neutral in action as president. The spokesperson of the Presidency was not available for his comments, while the secretary level communication of the ECP has already been made public.
