ISLAMABAD: A 9-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial will hear the suo motu notice of apparent delay in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assembly elections today (Thursday).
Besides Chief Justice Bandial, the bench includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahar and Justice Athar Manullah.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu notice two days after President Dr Arif Alvi set April 9 as the date for provincial assembly elections – terming the government’s move “unconstitutional and illegal”. It was condemned.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also sought information from the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) and other legal experts – but no official announcement has been made yet.
On February 16, in the Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar case, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Ahsan and Justice Naqvi, referred the issue of delay in elections to the Chief Justice.
According to the statement of the Supreme Court, the bench will examine who is qualified to issue the date of elections, who is the constitutional responsibility of the federation and the provinces and who will fulfill the constitutional responsibility of conducting elections and when.
The statement of the Supreme Court said that it is the responsibility of the government to conduct elections in accordance with the constitution in Punjab and KP.
The Supreme Court further said that both the provincial assemblies were dissolved on January 14 and 18 respectively.
Under Article 224 (2), elections should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the Assembly. The constitution mandates that elections be held within 90 days.
The Supreme Court of the country also said that it has received requests for the dates of the elections from the Islamabad High Court Bar and the Speakers of the KP and Punjab Assemblies.
