The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stated that an additional four months would be required to finish the process of delimitation of the constituencies, adding that ‘fair and just’ elections could be held in October.
The ECP’s statement came in response to a letter that President Dr. Arif Alvi had written, who had asked the ECP to put forth dates on which the general elections in the country could be held.
President Dr. Arif Alvi’s letter to the electoral commission had said that he had to appoint a date for elections that fell within the 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly, according to Article 48(5)(A) and 224(2) of the constitution.
The president called for the dates following the dissolution of the National Assembly after the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was rejected by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
In its reply to the president, the ECP had said that it was an independent and constitutional entity, given the duty of conducting elections under Article 218(3) of the constitution. It added that it was the ECP’s responsibility to arrange for elections in an honest, just and fair manner free of corrupt practices.
The ECP further called on the president to hold meetings with it to discuss the elections.
