SC to take up matters related to general elections tomorrow

ECP wants SC to review order to conduct polls in Punjab on May 14 as PTI seeks implementation

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has fixed the hearing of matters related to general elections tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30am, it was reported on Thursday.

A day earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had filed a petition in the apex court seeking a review of its order to conduct polls in Punjab on May 14.

In the plea, the commission maintained that changing the election programme was the solitary domain of the ECP under Section 58 of the Elections Act, 2017.

Later the same day, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also filed a civil miscellaneous application (CMA) in the apex court praying that its order on holding the polls in Punjab on May 14 must be ensured.

In its application, the PTI requested the court to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 while submitting a report on the negotiations held between it and the government to decide the date of the elections.

The party informed the top court in its application that the government and PTI could not reach a solution within the Constitution on the Punjab Assembly election Pdates, “in spite of the best efforts of [the] parties”.

Read Cabinet body okays tweaks in electoral law

The former ruling party pleaded that the top court’s order for the Punjab Assembly elections to be held on May 14 should be “implemented in letter and spirit so that the Constitution is upheld and does not stand violated”. 

'Punjab polls on May 14'

Last month, the apex court declared as “unconstitutional” the ECP's decision to postpone elections in Punjab, in a blow to the government that has been trying to delay the provincial election citing security issues and the economic crisis.

A three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan — also fixed May 14 as the date for the poll in the province.

On March 22, the ECP delayed the provincial assembly election in the politically crucial Punjab province by more than five months, citing the deteriorating security situation in the cash-starved country, a move criticised by PTI chief Imran Khan.

Since his ouster last April in a no-confidence vote in parliament, Imran has been demanding early elections.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has dismissed the demand and remained stuck to the ruling coalition’s demand of holding elections in one go later this year.