The Election Commission of Pakistan answered another letter by the President on sunday saying that it will not be able to enter into consultations on the topic of elections.

The letter says that the ECP has no power on its own to fix the date of elections. It adds that letters to the governors of Punjab and KP have been written but no date was received.

The letter also argues that the matter of fixing an election date is currently subjudice. It also mentions that the the decision of the Lahore High Court ordering election date to be fixed has been challenged. Similarly, the latter says, three petitions have also been filed for the elections in the Peshawar High Court.

“Regrettably, the Commission may not be able to enter into the process of consultation with the office of the President,” the letter reads.

However, it adds that a final decision will be taken in a meeting of the commission on February 20.

The letter goes on to clarify that it holds the office of the president ‘in the highest regard’. This comes a day after a letter in which the ECP had expressed disappointment over the President’s use of the word ‘apathy and inaction’ in the matter of fixing an election date.

The president had written a letter to the chief election commissioner, inviting him to a consultation on February 20 under Article 57 so elections can be organised.

The Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved by the PTI in an attempt to force elections in the country. However, election schedules have not been set despite almost a third of the constitutionally mandated 90 days having been passed.

PTI’s reaction

PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to say that the ECP has no authority to deny the President a consultation.

“Under Art 46 of the Constitution no executive institution can withheld any information from President,” he said.