Islamabad: A bill aimed at empowering the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce election dates without the consent of the President was passed in the Senate on Friday despite opposition from lawmakers from ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s party.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023, which replaced the erstwhile Elections Act 2017, was moved by Pakistan’s State Minister Shahadat Awan in the upper house.
The statement of objects and reasons of the legislation states that the Constitution envisages the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organise and conduct elections honestly, fairly, and in accordance with the law.
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said the right to choose the date for polls had been given to the ECP in 1973.
“But Ziaul Haq (former military dictator) gave this right to the President through an amendment,” he said.
Opposition senators, particularly those belonging to former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have outrightly rejected the amendments.
“The Constitution is very clear about the date of the elections and it gives both the president and governor the power to announce the date for polls,” Leader of the Opposition Shahzad Waseem said.
The bill was introduced after the ECP shot a letter addressed to both houses of the Parliament, urging them to grant it more powers.
Subsequently, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani set up an eight-member bipartisan parliamentary committee in April to examine the amendments proposed by the ECP.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.
Since then, the cricketer-turned-politician has been demanding early general elections in Pakistan.
The PML-N-led coalition government has rejected his demand and senior ministers have said that elections will be held according to the provisions of the Constitution.
The current term of the National Assembly will end in August this year and fresh elections are expected to be held in October.
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