Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday announced April 30 for holding elections in Punjab province.
President Alvi approved the date for elections on the proposal of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as directed by the Supreme Court (SC).
Earlier, ECP proposed dates for the election in Punjab as directed by the Supreme Court (SC).
In its letter to President Arif Alvi, the ECP has recommended that the elections for the Punjab provincial assembly can be held between April 30 to May 07.
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
Preparations for Punjab, KP elections
Under the chair of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, the ECP today held the third consecutive meeting to discuss preparations for elections.
He announced the date after considering dates proposed by Election Commission of Pakistan. ECP had proposed poll date between 30 April to 7 May 2023 for holding general elections of Provincial Assembly of Punjab, and had further suggested to hold elections preferably on Sunday.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) March 3, 2023
“The commission is ready to fulfil its legal and Constitutional obligations after the selection of a date by President Dr Arif Alvi,” it stated.
However, the commission, in its letter to Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Haji Ghulam Ali, stated that it is waiting for his response in light of the Supreme Court order.
The Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies were dissolved on Jan 14 and Jan 18 respectively, and as per the law, the elections were to be held within 90 days following their dissolution.
However, after both the governors refused to fix a date for elections, the issue landed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan which directed the president to announce the date for the election in consultation with the Election Commission of Pakistan.
It also ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to give an election date.
