The President proposed to hold general elections on November 6

In Islamabad, President Dr. Arif Alvi has put forward a suggestion to schedule the general elections for November 6th.

As per reports from khabristan News, President Arif Alvi penned a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. In the letter, it was highlighted that the National Assembly had been dissolved on the recommendation of the Prime Minister on August 9th.

The text of the letter emphasizes that the President has the authority, as per Article 48 (5) of the Constitution, to determine the election date within a span of 90 days.

Referring to Article 48 (5), the President indicated that the upcoming general elections for the National Assembly are slated for November 6, 2023, which falls on the 89th day.

Arif Alvi underscored the importance of a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner as part of their collective effort to effectively execute the constitution and its directives in fulfilling their constitutional duties.

As stated in the letter, the Chief Election Commissioner responded by asserting an opposing viewpoint, arguing that the Constitution’s design and structure grant the authority to the Election Commission.

The President further elaborated that following the release of the census data in August, the essential process of constituency delimitation is currently underway, as mandated by Article 51 (5) and Section 17 of the Election Act.

He also pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice shares a similar perspective to that of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

As per the contents of the letter, it is stated that the four provincial governments are of the view that the authority to announce the election date rests with the Election Commission. They have reached a consensus that the general elections for both the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies should occur simultaneously.

Dr. Arif Alvi conveyed his belief that the Election Commission should seek guidance from the Supreme Judiciary regarding the simultaneous conduct of elections for national and provincial assemblies.

The President emphasized that the Election Commission bears the responsibility of adhering to all constitutional and legal measures outlined in Articles 51, 218, 219, 220, and the Elections Act 2017, to ensure the fair and impartial conduct of elections.