Plea filed in LHC to oblige president on fixing election date

• Application has been filed by Muqasit Saleem Advocate.
• Principal Secretary to President, the Federal Govt and ECP have been made parties.
• Urged LHC to ensure elections within 90 days.

An application has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) to oblige President Dr Arif Alvi on fixing the date of general elections.

The application has been filed by Muqasit Saleem Advocate, in which the Principal Secretary to the president, the Federal Government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have been made parties.

The petition states that under the constitution, after the dissolution of the assemblies; the president is bound to fix the date of the general elections.

Adding that the holding of elections in ninety days is a constitutional requirement.

It further mentioned that despite the dissolution of the assemblies, the president has not yet fixed the date for the elections.

On August 17, the Election Commission issued a notification to cancel the elections; which created an impression that elections cannot be held in ninety days, position taken by the petitoner.

The petition mentions that ECP has no constitutional role in fixing the date of elections and that ECP’s position is a violation of Article 224 Clause Two.

The petitioner urged the court to make President Alvi bound on setting the election date and demanded to nullify the notification of ECP regarding the delay in elections.