The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Dr. Arif Alvi reached a consensus on the date for the upcoming general elections, setting it for February 8. This decision followed the directives of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who had instructed the ECP to consult with the President regarding the election date.
On today's order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with the Attorney General for Pakistan, Mr. Mansoor Usman Awan, and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, came to meet pic.twitter.com/1uXi7v7Y7N
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 2, 2023
A delegation from the ECP, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, met with President Arif Alvi at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad. This meeting was arranged after Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan visited the President.
Initially, the Election Commission had announced February 11 as the date for the general elections. However, the Chief Justice of Pakistan emphasized the need for the President’s agreement on this matter.
A three-judge bench, comprising the Chief Justice, Justice Aminuddin Khan, and Justice Athar Minallah, had been hearing petitions urging elections within 90 days following the dissolution of the legislatures in the country.
#ECP pic.twitter.com/O2udfMSAjn
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) November 2, 2023
The Chief Justice issued an order stating, “Let the ECP meet with the President of Pakistan today, and the date for holding general elections in Pakistan be appointed.” The Attorney-General for Pakistan was tasked with facilitating this meeting and providing the President with relevant court orders.
It was expected that the election date would be finalized, with the court being informed on November 3, 2023.
The Supreme Court had previously issued notices to the ECP and the Federation, setting 10 days for fixing the election date.
During the court proceedings, Chief Justice Isa noted that the Supreme Court would announce the final election date. He observed that this was an unusual case where everyone appeared content.
Justice Minallah pointed out that, prima facie, the government, ECP, and the President bore responsibility for the election delay.
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The ECP’s lawyer, Sajeel Swati, informed the court that the delimitation process was ongoing and would conclude by November 30. He further stated that the final delimitation results would be published by December 5, 2023.
To maximize public participation, Swati suggested that the elections should ideally be held on a Sunday, and the first Sunday after the timeframe would be February 4, 2024. However, to allow political parties to present their programs and manifestos, Swati recommended holding the elections on Sunday, February 11, 2024.
Chief Justice Isa inquired if the President had been consulted about the election date, and Swati responded that the ECP was not obliged to consult with the President. This response led the Chief Justice to instruct the commission to confer with the President regarding the election date.
After a brief recess, Swati informed the court that the ECP would consult with the President later.
In the written order, Chief Justice Isa emphasized that the selected election date must be implemented. He stated that the Supreme Court aimed to ensure that the elections proceeded without disputes, prioritizing a solution to the issue without getting entangled in technicalities.
Chief Justice Isa also declared that no more pleas regarding election delays would be entertained after this case. The hearing was adjourned until the following day.
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