Election date: SC fixes ECP's review plea for hearing
- By Abdul Qadir -
- May 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has fixed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) review plea for hearing against its verdict of holding elections in Punjab on May 14, ARY News reported on Friday.
The Supreme Court – in its April 4 order – declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till October 8 “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as a new date.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial will take up the ECP’s plea on May 15. Justice Ejazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar will be the other members of the bench.
In a 14-page review petition filed by the ECP on May 3, the electoral body pleaded with the Supreme Court to suspend its May 14 decision until a verdict on the revision petition on the issue.
Read more: ECP FILES PLEA IN SC SEEKING REVIEW OF MAY 14 PUNJAB POLLS ORDER
“SC should review its decision as the judiciary doesn’t have the authority to give the date of elections,” the ECP petition read.
“If the decision is not suspended, the election commission will suffer an irreparable loss,” the petitioner pleaded.
The electoral watchdog further requested the apex court to “accept the instant Review Petition by revisiting, reviewing, reconsidering and recalling its April 4 order”.