ECP challenges LHC’s verdict on Punjab election date

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has challenged the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict announced by Justice Jawad Hassan regarding the Punjab election date, ARY News reported on Friday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted an intra-court appeal to the Lahore High Court (LHC) to challenge the verdict in which the court ordered the ECP for holding elections within 90 days.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Punjab governor were made parties in the intra-court appeal.

The appeal stated that the single bench had not properly analysed the facts and ECP is not authorised to announce the election date in accordance with the law.

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It added that seeking the election date from the commission is against the Election Act and the Constitution.

The ECP stated that it has the administrative responsibility to organise polls and the governor is authorised to unveil the election date. The commission pleaded with the court to nullify the single bench’s verdict and suspend the order till the conclusion of the hearings.

On February 10, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organise by-polls in Punjab within three months.

The LHC’s Justice Jawad Hassan announced the reserved verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition seeking the court orders for Punjab by-polls.

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In a 16-page verdict, the high court ordered the election commission for organising by-polls in Punjab within 90 days.

The LHC directed the electoral watchdog to issue the election schedule in accordance with the Constitution. It further stated that the elections should be conducted within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly in accordance with the Constitution.

However, it is not clear in the law who will announce the date of elections in case of dissolution of assemblies, it added. In light of the court’s decisions, the ECP is possessing the mandate to conduct elections as an independent and impartial institution.