- The top court five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial resumes hearing of the case with arguments of the ECP’s counsel.
Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told the Supreme Court of Pakistan that it complied with its March 1 decision by postponing the Punjab elections from April 30 to October 8.
The electoral watchdog also told the court that it was ready to hold elections if it was provided funds.
Sajeel Swati, the counsel of the ECP, made this submission before the top court while responding query of a member of five-member bench of the apex court seized with the hearing of the petitions challenging delay in elections in Punjab and KPK.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was heading the bench.
Justice Mandhokhail, one of the members of the bench, asked the ECP counsel as how the commission issued schedule for elections.
“We complied with the SC orders and there is a possibility that we could not understand the verdict,” said the ECP lawyer, adding that the President set the date of April 30 for elections in Punjab. He said that the ECP started preparation for the elections and issued a schedule for it.
The ECP counsel said that it was written in the judgment that it was decision of 3-2 and the signatures of the five judges were there on it.
“Did you see the brief judgment of the court?,” asked the judge.
The judge remarked that it was not written in the judgment that it was 3-2 judgment. However, he observed that the difference of opinion was the ECP.
Later, he said the ECP postponed the elections from April 30 to Oct 8.
Justice Mandhokhail said that the four judges ruled against the suo motu and the petition on delay in the Punjab and KPK elections.
A high level delegation of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) comprising Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and others also appeared before the Supreme Court to attend the hearing.
