The Pakistani Supreme Court has declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to postpone the Punjab assembly elections until October 8 as illegal and unconstitutional and has therefore revoked it.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial ruled that the ECP lacks authority to move the election date, rendering his decision in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa poll delay case.
The CJP announced that instead of April 30, the elections in Punjab will now take place on May 14.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court, which overruled the government’s objections to the bench and its request for a full court, announced the decision on the PTI petition contesting the ECP’s decision to postpone the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar announced the reserved verdict. CJP Bandial read out the judgment.
As many as six hearings were conducted on the case.
