The Supreme Court has resumed the hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections’ date.
\nA five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial is hearing the plea.
\nApart from the CJP, the bench includes Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.
\nThe Imran Khan-led party had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to defer the Punjab polls till October 8.
\nThe electoral body’s announcement came after financial and security authorities expressed their inability to support the electoral process.
\nFollowing this, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also urged the electoral body to hold general elections on the same date (October 8) as the Punjab polls given the growing security threats from terror groups operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions.
\nAt the outset of the hearing, CJP Bandial welcomed newly appointed Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Uman Awan. While seeing “good friend” Farooq H Naek, the CJP remarked that the court would need assistance of the senior lawyer on the matter.
\nHours before the hearing resumed on Tuesday, the ruling alliance decided to become a party in the case.
\nThe Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have filed the pleas in the SC to become a party, and will present their stance when the hearing resumes.
\nTaking up the plea on Monday, the SC issued notice to the Election Commission for dragging its feet on polls in Punjab, and sought guarantees from the government and PTI to bury the hatchet for free, fair, and transparent elections.
\nChief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial had observed that timely general elections held \u201chonestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law\u201d are crucial for democratic system of government mandated by our Constitution.
\n“Any flaw, deficiency or failing in the holding of general elections is, prima facie, a matter of public importance that affects the fundamental rights of the voting public,” he said.
\nThe court had raised questions over the legality of the March 22 order of the ECP postponing the election, observing that the order was a blockade in the way of its judgement for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the people of the two provinces.
\nThe top court had that ruled in a suo motu case earlier this month that the elections for Punjab and KP assemblies should be held within 90 days.
\nIn light of the split ruling, President Arif Alvi had announced the date for the Punjab polls after consulting with the ECP.
\nApart from sending notices to all parties in yesterday’s hearing, the SC also sent notices to the governors of both provinces through chief secretaries seeking their replies today over the legal points raised by the petitioner.
\nIt also asked the ECP to come prepared to assist with the legal questions and the factual points in today’s hearing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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