Supreme Court takes up suo motu notice case on election dates today
ISLAMABAD – The division bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan will start hearing the suo-moto notice on the delay in the announcement of dates for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections.
On Monday, four judges of the country’s top court recused themselves from the nine-member bench. The remaining bench will continue hearing the case for the interpretation of the Constitution as the opposition and ruling alliance remained at loggerheads over polls date in recent weeks.
The new bench includes Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
During Monday’s hearing, the country’s top judge remarked that President can announce the date for elections as per the Elections Act, 2017.
Since the dissolution of the assemblies, the governors of both provinces and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) are reluctant to announce a date for general elections in the provinces. After both parties remained failed to fulfill their duties, President Arif Alvi unilaterally announced that polls will be held in April – a move that was widely criticised by the government of coalition parties.
