The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has responded to President Dr. Arif Alvi’s request for the next general elections in the country. The ECP stated that it needs at least four additional months for the preparation of free and fair elections.
Earlier, the President wrote to the ECP to propose dates for the early general elections. Currently, Pakistan is undergoing a political crisis as it is without a functioning government. After the rejection of the no-confidence motion, the President dissolved all the assemblies. As a result, Pakistan needs to hold early elections.
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“In order to carry out the mandate of the Constitution of announcing the date of general elections, consultation with the Election Commission is required under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act, 2017,” stated a letter written to the electoral body.
It added that the president shall appoint a date, not later than 90 days from the date of dissolution of the National Assembly, in pursuance of clause (5)(a) of Article 48 and clause (2) of Article 224 of the Constitution.
“The President has further desired that the Election Commission may kindly respond at earliest,” the letter added.
On the other hand, the ECP responded by stating that it is not possible to hold elections within three months as is required.
“The Election Commission though fully committed to holding elections, would however require at least four additional months to complete the process of delimitation,” the ECP wrote in its letter to the President.
“Elections could safely be held honestly, justly, fairly as ordained in Article 18 (3) of the constitution, in October 2022,” it further added.
Elections not possible in Pakistan at least until October. Election Commission of Pakistan has responded to the President of Pakistan.
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) April 7, 2022
Election Commission of Pakistan has informed President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan that elections can be held in October 2022 as ECP requires 4x months for preparation of free & fair elections.
— Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) April 7, 2022
The Election Commission of Pakistan responds to President Alvi and details how inept Imran govt has delayed the due process of ECP and why no elections can be held before at least four months. pic.twitter.com/ba15YPHnat
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) April 7, 2022
A false report?
Interestingly, earlier, a media report went viral claiming that the ECP cannot hold general elections in three months.
According to the publication, a senior ECP official said that preparations for the general elections would require around six months, citing recent delimitation of constituencies and bringing district and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity as major hurdles in early elections.
Furthermore, the publication reported that the official said ECP requires a “minimum of three months to complete the exercise, followed by another gigantic task of updating voters’ lists”. To clarify, ECP has a constitutional responsibility to hold elections within 90 days after the dissolution of assemblies.
However, shortly after, ECP rejected giving out any statement regarding early elections in Pakistan. ECP issued a clarification on Twitter. Moreover, ECP said it is ready to hold elections.
Read more: ECP rejects media report on early elections