Sources indicated Presidency’s response on legal opinion of Ministry of Law and Justice will come in day or two        

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has initiated consultation with legal experts on the response of Ministry of Law and Justice given to the advice sought by President House regarding the ECP rejoinder to President’s letter.

According to sources, President Dr Arif Alvi holds legal consultation with his legal adviser in a one-to-one meeting.

Sources indicated that the Presidency’s response on legal opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice will come in a day or two. However, sources in the President House said consultation with the President’s legal adviser is a routine matter. Sources said the consultations are mostly on cases referred to the Ombudsman, and these are also held in one-on-meeting, therefore, it cannot be said whether the consultation is on appeals against decisions of the Federal Ombudsman or on any other subject.

It is to mention here that the Ministry of Law and Justice replied to the President House on the letter regarding the opinion on the date of general elections and stated that ECP has the authority to give the polls date.

On last Thursday, he President House sought the legal opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the letter of the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in which the CEC took the position that only the ECP has the authority to give the elections date.

The President House announcement stated that the letter has been written to the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice for the legal opinion.

It is to be mentioned that President Dr Arif Alvi wrote letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Wednesday inviting him for meeting to fix the date of for general elections.

President Dr Arif Alvi in his letter to the chief election commissioner also mentioned the Clause 5 of Article 48 for ready reference in his letter, which read as, “(5) where the President dissolves the National Assembly (notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), he shall,-

(a) Appoint a date not letter than ninety days from the date of the dissolution for the holding of a general election to the Assembly; and (b) Appoint a caretaker cabinet in accordance with the provisions of Article 224 or, as the case may be, Article 224A”.

While the Election commission of Pakistan had responded that the fixing the election date is the prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan.