The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday commenced hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition concerning polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) which were delayed by the electoral watchdog citing law and order situation.
A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
PTI on Saturday approached SC against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to delay the Punjab elections to October 8.
PTI senior leader Asad Umar took to his Twitter account to share that they have filed a petition against the electoral watchdog’s decision in the apex court.
In the petition, PTI termed the ECP’s decision as violation of Constitution and verdict of the top court.
The petition added that the party has approached the SC as “the matter involved in the petition is of public importance with reference to enforcement of fundamental rights of the millions of people of Pakistan, particularly the people of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)”.
In a startling announcement, ECP had postponed the general elections in Punjab that were scheduled to be held on April 30 in view of the recent spate of terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.
A notification was issued by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in this regard. It said the commission had invoked Article 218(3) read with Section 58 and 8(c) of the Elections Act 2017.
