SC hears Punjab polls case
\nSC seeks reply of Govt, ECP in Punjab, KP elections delay
\n Islamabad
\nThe Apex Court on Monday, while hearing PTI\u2019s plea against delaying general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, deferred hearing of the case till Tuesday, besides issuing notices to ECP and federal government seeking their reply.
\nDuring the proceedings, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked that whether the ECP could change date for elections given by the president.
\nHe remarked that the elections could only be held in favourable circumstances. The chief justice remarked that law and constitution were made to protect the people. The CJP said that situation in the country was quite grave and everyone seems at loggerheads with each other.
\nHe said the election must be fair, peaceful and transparent. The chief justice remarked that elections were postponed for 40 days after the former prime minister Benazir Bhuttto was assassinated.
\nThe additional attorney general requested the court to put off hearing for two to three days as the new attorney general of Pakistan had not been appointed. However, the court rejected the request.
\nEarlier, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court began hearing PTI\u2019s plea against delaying general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, comprises Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muneeb Akhtar Sheikh and Justice Ameenuddin Khan. Ahead of the hearing, the court issued notices to the PTI lawyers.
\nThe petition, moved by PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, former Punjab Assembly speaker Mohammad Sibtain Khan, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani and ex-lawmakers of Punjab Abdul Rehman and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, pleaded that the ECP\u2019s decision was in violation of the Constitution and tantamount to amending and subverting it.
\nIt sought directions for the federal government to ensure law and order, provisions of funds and security personnel as per the ECP\u2019s need to hold the elections. It also requested the court to direct the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to announce the date for elections to the provincial assembly. Last week, KP Governor Ghulam Ali also proposed Oct 8 as the date for holding elections in the province. Earlier, he had announced May 28 as the date for polls.
\nThe PTI questioned the ECP\u2019s authority to \u201camend the Constitution\u201d and asked how it could decide to delay elections to any assembly beyond 90 days from the date of dissolution of the assembly as mandated by the Constitution.
\nThe petition argued that the ECP was bound to obey and implement the judgements of the Supreme Court and had no power or jurisdiction to overrule or review them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SC hears Punjab polls case SC seeks reply of Govt, ECP in Punjab, KP elections delay Islamabad The Apex Court on Monday, while hearing PTI\u2019s plea against delaying general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, deferred hearing of the case till Tuesday, besides issuing notices to ECP and federal government seeking their reply. During the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253312,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[8565],"class_list":{"0":"post-322173","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-bandial"},"yoast_head":"\n