ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday issued a new schedule for the Punjab elections, which will take place on May 14.
The notification released by the ECP stated that as per the Supreme Court’s directions, the elections in Punjab would be held on May 14.
The notification also specified that the deadline for filing an appeal against the Returning Officer’s decision was April 10. The ECP made this decision in an emergency meeting held today to discuss the Supreme Court’s verdict. The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.
According to the notification of the electoral watch dog, candidates would be able to submit nomination papers from April 10. The ECP will publish the list of candidates on April 19, and electoral symbols would be issued by April 20.
The decision was taken a day after the Supreme Court declared the ECP’s earlier decision to postpone the elections in Punjab until October 8 as “unconstitutional.”
In its verdict on Tuesday, the apex court scraped the decision of the electoral watch dog and set May 14 new date for the election in Punjab.
The three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial announced the verdict. The other members of the bench included Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.
Reacting to the verdict, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice-president Maryam Nawaz said the election would be held but not before time.
Maryam made it clear that “Do whatever you want but nothing will move in the country on the saying of a person who wants unrest across the country.”
On the other side, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan hailed the apex court verdict and announced to observe “Youm-e-Tashakur” on Wednesday.
In a video message, Imran Khan said earlier, “After evening prayer yesterday, the whole nation came out and expressed their gratitude for the Supreme Court’s decision, showing that we stand with them.”
