ECP rejects Alvi’s election delay statement

Says ‘nothing uncertain’ about its delimitation, election announcement processes

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected President Arif Alvi’s statement doubting the electoral body’s intentions of holding general elections in January.

The president, in an interview to a private TV channel on Wednesday, said that he did not see general elections taking place in January 2024.

“I do not believe that elections will be held in January,” President Alvi said.

During the interview, the president said that when he wrote a letter to the ECP, proposing to resolve the election date issue, they replied that “it is not necessary”.

Alvi said that even if he had not gone on Hajj, he would not have signed the amendment made in the Elections Act 2017 because “it is against the Constitution”. “(Rule) 57/1 was changed in the act but I did not sign it.”

The Election Act amendments were signed by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani who was serving as acting president as Alvi had left for Hajj.

The rule – Notification of Election Programme - states, “The President shall announce the date or dates of the general elections after consultation with the Commission.”

The ECP in its statement said that it strongly rejected president’s remarks suggesting that there would be a delay in the 2024 elections.

“The commission has already clarified its position regarding the matter,” the electoral body maintained.

It stated that the process of delimitation had already been completed, and the process was in its second stage of scrutiny - of addressing objections – which will be completed on Friday (today).

The ECP said it will be issuing the final list of constituencies by Nov 30, 2023, adding that the final schedule of elections 2024 would be issued after that.
 

Read Poll date remains elusive after Alvi’s climbdown

“There is nothing uncertain about this,” the electoral body maintained.

Separately, the ECP issued a notice to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar in a case related to the influence of the caretaker federal ministers in the general elections.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the case. Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman appeared before the commission.

The bench inquired whether he could represent Ahad Cheema, Tauqeer Shah and Fawad Hasan Fawad.

The AAG said that the notice of the Election Commission was not given. “You could send a notice to the four respondents.” The hearing was adjourned till Oct 31 while directing to issue a notice to the caretaker prime minister.