Lahore High Court hears petition against by-elections

Petitioner argues that ECP could not hold by-elections 100 days before the next general election.

LAHORE: Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court on Monday ordered that all petitions challenging scheduled by-elections for vacant constituencies of national and provincial assemblies from Punjab to be consolidated and prepared for a hearing on Tuesday.

Earlier, Justice Shah had issued notices to the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) upon hearing a petition.

The petitioner had submitted that the term of present parliament was set to expire in March 2013, hence by-elections could not be held at this point in time.

He argued that, according to the law, the ECP could not hold by-elections within 100 days the next general election.