ISLAMABAD: ECP counsel says Supreme Court rules do not reduce Constitutional authority A three-member Supreme Court bench has resumed hearing in the review petition of the election commission against the court’s verdict announcing polls in Punjab on May 14.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, heard the ECP’s review petition.
The ECP’s counsel Sajeel Swati argued that Supreme Court rules did not reduce Constitutional authority. He further said a full court has declared in various cases that the scope of a review is not limited.
circumstances. If there is an elected government in Punjab, how the National Assembly polls will be fair, he asked.
The CJP responded that the provincial assembly’s interference can be stopped in the NA elections, adding if the commission is strong and fair, there can be no interference.
This issue can be solved administratively, CJP Bandial remarked.
The CJP said the election commission should not accept the Finance Ministry’s excuses, and seek solid explanation from the government. Yesterday, Rs20 billion were issued for lawmakers’ development schemes.
The ECP is itself inactive, the CJP remarked. It demanded 450,000 security personnel, which is as much as the total army strength.
He also asked the ECP to do its homework and come so that it could be determined what its problem is.
The army offered its quick response force to the election commission, CJP Bandial said, adding it was enough.
Apparently, the October 8 has been given because of the National Assembly, he observed. The ECP counsel said there was no reason to doubt the government institutions’ report, adding the October date was suggested over terrorism threats.
When asked how will the situation improve by October and what does the commission think now that when can the elections be held, the counsel said after the May 9 incidents, the situation will have to be reviewed afresh.
The CJP remarked that the ECP has still not clarified how much delay in the elections is tolerable.
The hearing was then adjourned till May 29.
