ECP accelerates preparations for elections in Punjab, KP
- By Web Desk -
- Mar 01, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has accelerated preparations for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) following the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict in polls date case, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
Sources told ARY News that the electoral watchdog has instructed relevant departments to speed up preparations for the elections. The election commission has decided to implement supreme court’s orders, they added.
The elections in both the provinces would likely to be held after Eid-ul-Fitr, they claimed. Sources further claimed that the ECP would not have the authority to change the announced polling day.
The ECP has also decided to write a letter to President Dr Arif Alvi and Khyber Pakhntunkwa (KP) Governor tomorrow. Article 220 will implement over non-cooperation of institutions, sources claimed.
SC verdict
The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on Wednesday that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab should be held within 90 days.
CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the verdict, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the admissibility of the suo moto notice and dissented from the majority verdict.
Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail in their dissenting notes agreed with the position of Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Athar Minallah. “The matter was already being heard in the high courts, Supreme Court cannot take suo moto notice on the undertrial cases in the high courts.”
The short verdict stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed in discharging its role in the election. The announcement of the election date in KP is the responsibility of the provincial governor, while the president has the authority as per law and constitution to fix the election date in Punjab.
The verdict further stated a consultation to fix the date of elections in Punjab, if they are not possible on April 9, the date announced by the president.