ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution dismissing the two-day earlier judgment of the apex court that overruled the Election Commission of Pakistan’s March 22 notification and set May 14 as the new date for elections in Punjab.
The resolution moved by Balochistan Awami Party leader Khalid Hussain Magsi demanded the formation of a full court to review the judgment given a three-member SC bench – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan.
SC’s verdict on polls delay case
On Tuesday, in its verdict on a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition against the ECP’s decision to delay polls in Punjab, the apex court declared the electoral body’s decision to postpone elections till October 8 as “unconstitutional” and directed the commision to conduct provincial polls between April 30 to May 15.
The court remarked that the ECP’s order wasted 13 days adding that the electoral body made an unconstitutional decision by shifting the date for the polls to October 8.
The top court further said in its verdict that the last date for submitting appeals against the returning officer’s decision is April 10 and the election tribunal will announce the decision on the appeals on April 17. “Elections in Punjab and KP should be transparent, impartial and as per the law,” read the verdict.
It further said that the federal government should provide Rs21 billion in funds by April 10 to the Election Commission and directed the body to present a report on the subject by April 11. The verdict also said that the SC will issue instructions to the authorities concerned in case the funds are not provided.
