SC declares ECP order on Punjab, KP elections unconstitutional

SC declares ECP order on Punjab, KP elections were unconstitutional!

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) election null and void. 

The top court has ordered the government to hold polls in Punjab on May 14.

• The federal government has been directed to provide Rs21bn in funds to ECP by April 10
• ECP asked to submit a report to SC on the issue by April 11
• The govt has been directed to share the security plan with ECP by April 17
• SC to continue hearing regarding elections in KP

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar announced the verdict that was reserved a day earlier.

The SC in its verdict, stated that the ECP’s order dated March 22, 2023, is declared to be unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect and is hereby quashed.

“Neither the Constitution nor the law empowers the commission to extend the date of elections beyond the 90 days period as provided in Article 224(2) of the Constitution,” the verdict states.

“The election programme for the general election to the Punjab Assembly stands ‘revived and restored’ immediately with a few modifications,” it added.

The SC’s verdict followed a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.