ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted a report before the Supreme Court of Pakistan and informed it about funds and security required for holding elections in Punjab, the sources privy to the development said on Tuesday.
The sources said that the electoral body said that they did not receive funds from the government.
They also said that the security was also insufficient to hold the elections in Punjab, adding that working on the security issue continued.
The election commission also informed the top court regarding provision of funds and security to conduct elections in Punjab.
The development took place a day after the Senate and the joint session of the parliament approved resolutions for holding elections across the country at the same time.
The resolutions said that the holding elections in Punjab first and then in the other provinces would damage the federation besides causing negative impact on other provinces. It was also mentioned in the resolutions that the political stability was important for economic stability, and therefore, the general elections should be held at the same time.
The senators of the coalition government said that the elections in Punjab before all other provinces were also not economically viable as the cost would be doubled. Elections at the same time, they argued, would be comparatively low.
Last week, a SC three-member bench had set aside the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan about postponing the elections till Oct 8 and fixed May 14 as the date to hold elections in Punjab.
The top court had also directed the federal government to provide funds to the ECP for elections in Punjab till April 10. The apex court had also made the ECP bound to submit reports about receiving of the funds and security for elections till April 11.
