The caretaker law ministry in its legal opinion to President Dr Arif Alvi -- on a letter penned by the chief election commissioner (CEC) to it -- informed him that the assemblies were dissolved on the recommendation of the prime minister and the legislation approved by parliament did not authorise him to give the date of the polls.
According to sources, the law ministry told the president that only the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had the authority to set the date of the polls after changes in the electoral law.
It added that under the new amendment to the Election Act, the president no longer had the authority to give the date of the polls.
