The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday submitted a report to the Supreme Court on non-disbursement of election funds as the federal government failed to release funds for holding elections in Punjab.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial had directed the Election Commission to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 and the federal government to provide Rs 21 billion funds to the ECP by April 10. .
The report was submitted to the Registrar’s Office of the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope which will be sent to the chambers of Chief Justice Bandyal, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar.
It should be noted that the Supreme Court had warned of action in case of non-compliance of the orders.
Despite the orders, the government failed to meet the deadline set by the Supreme Court as the ECP is yet to receive financial assistance. Instead of providing timely funds, the government on Monday tabled a bill to approve funds for elections in both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the decision of the federal cabinet, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while presenting the money bill said that the government is placing the bill before the House in the light of the orders of the Supreme Court to release 21 billion rupees to the ECP for the general elections. Both provinces.
The Finance Minister said that the Federal Cabinet considered the orders of the Supreme Court in its recent meeting and sought the will of the Parliament to take a final decision regarding the allocation of funds for the general elections of Punjab and KP in view of the resolution of the House. .
The move came after the Supreme Court annulled the ECP’s decision on the Punjab and KP elections, while ordering it to hold snap elections – a persistent demand of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). (TI) was forced after its dissolution by Chairman Imran Khan. Assemblies of both provinces
The Supreme Court had given May 14 as the date for the elections in Punjab. However, the decision, which was supposed to be a way out of the ongoing political and constitutional crisis, deepened it as the government rejected the Supreme Court ruling.
Apart from the money bill, the government also insists on holding simultaneous elections across the country.
A joint session of parliament on Monday also passed a resolution calling for simultaneous holding of general elections to national and provincial assemblies to “strengthen the federation”.
