Five-member SC bench takes up PTI plea on KP, Punjab polls

A five-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, begins hearing PTI’s plea against delay in elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The five-member larger bench includes Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.

CJP Bandial while directing for a reply from the ECP remarked that elections are imperative to run our governance system.

Addressing the lawyers from both sides, the CJP sought assurances from both sides that elections would be peaceful.

Ahead of the hearing, the court issued notices to PTI lawyers.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf moved to the apex court following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the Punjab polls from April 30 to October 8 after financial and security authorities expressed their inability to support the electoral process.