PPP’s Saleem Mandviwalla has said that his party opposed the amendments which aimed to “give power to the caretaker setup to be like a regular government” in Election Act Bill 2023.

“The ECP laws are very clear that caretaker government can only do day-to-day business. It will behave like a regular government when you empower it to make appointments and transfers. It will no longer be a caretaker government,” he said during his appearance on Faisla Aap Ka.

However, it was essential to empower the caretaker government to deal with the International Monetary Fund when it review the country’s progress in September, Mandviwalla stated.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Interior and Legal Affairs Attaullah Tarar said that the PML-N planned to grant additional powers to the caretaker setup in an attempt to empower it to take economic decisions.

“An IMF tranche will come during caretaker setup tenure while support from friendly countries is also expected during that period. It will hurt the interests of the country if the caretaker setup does not have the authority to take decisions regarding such matters,” he added.

He rubbished the claims that the PML-N wanted to delay elections or extend the tenure of the interim setup in the centre.

Responding to a question regarding the dissolution of the assemblies three days before the tenure’s end, Tarar replied “It is very simple - 60 days for campaign and 30 days for political management”. He was referring to the 90-day tenure of the caretaker setup.

Legal expert Shoaib Shaheen said that the caretaker setup’s role is day-to-day operation and to host and oversee elections.

He referred to the Supreme Court’s decision in 2013, when PML-N leader Khawaja Mohammad Asif approached the apex court over the appointments and transfers of officers made by the caretaker government in the three months of their tenure.

The court had placed a restriction on similar appointments for future caretaker governments as well.

Shaheen said that the coalition government will be committing a fraud if it dissolves the assemblies three days before the end of its tenure.

Analyst Murtaza Solangi was of the view that 90-day tenure of the caretaker setup is allowed by the Constitution, while saying that granting additional powers to the interim government is not an issue.

“If the law is amended regarding the powers of the caretaker setup, then it should not be a problem. I do not think the Supreme Court will do anything based on a past judgment,” he added.