Lahore High Court directs ECP to announce date of Elections in Punjab

Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the date of the Elections in Punjab!

LHC on Friday ordered the ECP to hold elections in the province in 90 days.

The LHC Justice Jawad Hassan pronounced the reserved verdict on a plea filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking orders for the Punjab government to immediately announce a date for an election in the province.

Justice Jawad Hassan accepted the PTI’s petition and asked the electoral body to stage the polls within the constitutional limit.

The court remarked that the ECP is bound to conduct the election 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly.

“…the ECP is directed to immediately announce the date of election of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab with the notification specifying reasons, after consultation with the Governor of Punjab, being the constitutional Head of the Province, to ensure that the elections are held not later than ninety days as per the mandate of the Constitution,” the judgement reads.

Furthermore, in the verdict, LHC also instructed the ECP to promptly declare the date for the election of the provincial assembly with a notification that specifies the reasons behind the decision after consulting with the governor of Punjab, who is the province’s constitutional head.

On Jan 27, the PTI approached the LHC, seeking it order for the Punjab governor to immediately announce a date of an election in the province since the assembly had been dissolved.

The ECP though recommended the elections be held between April 9 and 17.