Arif Alvi announces date for Punjab elections. President on Friday declared April 30 as the date for elections in Punjab.
The declaration from President Alvi comes minutes. After the ECP proposed dates for the election in the province in light of the Supreme Court (SC) verdict.
“President Dr Arif Alvi has announced to hold general elections of Punjab Assembly on April 30, Sunday,” tweeted the President’s office.
President Dr. Arif Alvi has announced the date of 30th April 2023 (Sunday) for holding the general elections of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab. pic.twitter.com/tktyD1hz73
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) March 3, 2023
“The decision made by the president after considering the dates proposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan,” it added.
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today planned the Punjab election date between April 30 and May 7 in a letter written to President Arif Alvi.
The conclusion taken in the election watchdog’s meeting, which was led by CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja. The members and secretary of ECP also joined in the meeting.
The message comes two days later the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days.
The Supreme Court (SC) had declared a split verdict of 3-2 afterward the completion of the hearing on the suo moto notice.
CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the decision. Although Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the acceptability of the suo moto notice. And disagreed with the majority verdict.
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The Punjab and KP assemblies dissolved on Jan 18 and Jan 14, separately. Later previous prime minister Imran Khan had declared the dissolution of provincial assemblies in an attempt to force the government to hold snap polls.
According to the Constitution of Pakistan, polls need to held for the dissolved assemblies in 90 days.