Mixed Reactions to President’s Proposal for Next General Elections on November 6
Legal experts have offered mixed reactions to President Dr Arif Alvi’s proposal for the next general elections to be held on November 6. Former attorney general for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf, expressed concern that the president’s letter has created an environment of uncertainty. He believes that the letter deviates from the expectations of the Office of the President, and suggests that it may have been written by a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party rather than the president himself. Ausaf questioned whether jeopardizing the country’s stability is justified simply to appease the political leadership.
Law expert Raja Khalid believes that the decision regarding the election date remains in the hands of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He emphasized that the process of delimitations, based on the new census, needs to be completed before elections can be held. Khalid acknowledged that organizing elections is a complex task and emphasized that the ECP would make the necessary preparations according to the new delimitations.
Offering a different perspective, litigation lawyer and political commentator Abdul Moiz Jaferii argued that the president derives the power to announce the election date from the Constitution. He states that this authority takes precedence over any claims the ECP may make regarding their own power to determine electoral dates. Jaferii believes that the ECP’s power is subject to the constitutional command of holding elections within 90 days of the dissolution of an assembly.
The mixed reactions from legal experts highlight the complexity surrounding the proposal for the next general elections to be held on November 6. While Ashtar Ausaf expresses concern about the uncertainty and potential motives behind the president’s letter, Raja Khalid emphasizes the importance of completing delimitations based on the new census before setting an election date. On the other hand, Abdul Moiz Jaferii argues that the president’s power to determine the election date is derived from the Constitution and should take precedence. With differing opinions on the matter, it remains to be seen how the Election Commission of Pakistan will approach this proposal and whether it will be accepted or modified in light of legal considerations.
