July 8, 2002	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 26,1423

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ISLAMABAD, July 7: The federal government has formally written to the Election Commission to prepare the schedule for holding next general election before Oct 12.

Official sources told Dawn that the ministry of parliamentary affairs “has formally written to the Election Commission to make preparations for the holding of general election before Oct 12, as mandated by the Supreme Court in its judgment on May 12, 2000.”

Under the SC judgment, the Chief Executive is obligated to appoint a date not later than 90 days before the expiry of the three-year period granted to the military government.

The validity of the present regime ends on Oct 13, if elections are not held as it is interlinked and intertwined with the holding of elections by Oct 12.

The EC, sources said, was already working on the schedule which was likely to be unveiled on July 11.

It, however, is seeking certain clarifications from the government with regard to holding of elections on one date or separate dates.

If the Senate elections, which are being proposed to be held on the direct election on proportionate basis, the elections would have to be held on two dates.

If the Senate’s existing electoral college is not changed, the elections would be held on one date, most probably in the first part of the second week of October. The holding of elections on one date has already been tested in the previous elections and is considered a success.

The sources said the think-tanks in the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) were having a second thought about the proposed changes in the Senate structure as the reaction received, so far, was negative.

The only argument, which has come from the NRB in support of changing Senate’s electoral college, is that there have been reports of corruption and the change has been suggested to plug that hole.

Those who are opposing the changes regarding Senate election, however, are of the view that if the changes suggested by the NRB were to be introduced, it would lead to a constitutional crisis.

They argue that the president, who was being reinvested with discretionary powers to dissolve the National Assembly, and even the cabinet, would enjoy no such power with regard to the Senate.

If the president, in his discretion, decided to dissolve the National Assembly in 2003 having come into existence in 2002, the next elections would be required to be held in 90 days, they maintain.

The date of the expiry of both the houses, the Senate and the National Assembly, would clash.

The electoral college, being proposed by the NRB, would require that for electing new Senate which would cease to exist after four years, at least provincial assemblies should be dissolved prior to their normal life.