Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar Monday said President Arif Alvi violated the constitution by announcing election dates in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa solely to appease his leader Imran Khan.

Speaking at the National Assembly, the minister stated that Article 48 (5) of the Constitution only authorises the President to announce election data after he dissolves the National House.

It is to mention that Article 48 (5) says," Where the President dissolves the National Assembly, notwit­­hstanding anything contained in clause (1), he shall appoint a date, not later than ninety days from the date of the dissolution, for the holding of a general election to the Assembly and appoint care-taker Cabinet.

According to the ministry, Article 105 (3) authorises the Governor to notify the date in the province if he has dissolved the provincial assembly. The Governor did not dissolve the Punjab Assembly, and after his reservations and reluctance to dissolve the assembly, the provincial assembly was dissolved after 48 hours, he stated.

This particular situation concerning the Governor is under investigation, and the court, not the President, will make a decision, according to the minister.

Article 105 (3) of the Constitution says," Where the Governor dissolves the Provincial Assembly, notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), he shall appoint a date, not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution, for the holding of a general election to the Assembly and (b) appoint a care-taker Cabinet.

According to Article 218 (3) of the Constitution, the Electoral Commission of Pakistan has the jurisdiction to conduct the election. As to Article 218 (3), "It shall be the duty of the Election Commission to plan and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are required to guarantee that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law, and that corrupt practises are guarded against.

The minister stated that people discussing the Constitution had already broken the Constitution. He said that the President dissolved the National Assembly within three minutes following the former Deputy Speaker's ruling.

He claimed that the President even refused to take the oath of office from the Prime Minister, who was elected in accordance with the constitution. He claimed that the President is breaching the constitution solely to satisfy his commander and that he has no authority to announce general elections in provinces.

He claimed that the President even refused to take the oath of office from the Prime Minister, who was elected in accordance with the constitution. He claimed that the President is breaching the constitution solely to satisfy his commander and that he has no authority to announce general elections in provinces.

Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif called President Arif Alvi's announcement of election dates for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly illegal.