Supreme Court Halts Lahore High Court’s Decision on Election Officers, Clearing Path for February 8 Polls
A three-member court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and including Justice Sardar Tariq and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, heard the ECP’s appeal against the LHC judgement banning training of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs).
The election commission should do its job we will not micromanage you,CJP Isa told the ECP’s officials in court, emphasizing that the polls should go forward as planned.
On the ECP’s appeal, the three-member SC bench issued an order stating that the LHC should refrain from conducting additional hearings on the petitions related to the recruitment of polling officers.
The LHC’s order, based on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Umair Nazi, suspended the ECP’s decision to appoint ROs and DROs from the executive branch. The LHC formed a bench today to hear the case on December 18.Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the high court will not hear the case as the court deemed the petitions “non-maintainable.”
While reading the ruling, CJP Isa also served a contempt of court notice to the PTI counsel, instructing him to provide an explanation for why proceedings should not be initiated against him. The Supreme Court ruled in its decision that the LHC bench exceeded its jurisdiction. According to the CJP, the ECP counsel pointed out that this court had explicitly stated that no one would be permitted to obstruct the elections.
The LHC’s judge issued the order hastily, he added, highlighting that the petitioner is a member of the same political party — the PTI — on whose petition the SC ordered the polls.The court then issued a contempt of court summons to Umair Niazi of the PTI, requesting an explanation for disobeying the apex court’s order.
PPP, PML-N, PTI demand elections on Feb 8
PPP spokesperson Faisal Karim Kundi stated that his party maintains a clear stance on the staging of polls. Elections should take place on February 8.He expressed hope that the Supreme Court would make a decision today. Additionally, he anticipated the release of the election schedule during the day. The former federal minister accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf – which had filed the plea in the LHC – of attempting to evade the elections.
Pakistan Muslim League-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said it was crucial that elections take place on February 8, blaming the Gohar Khan-led PTI for the uncertainty surrounding the elections.
The PML-N‘s stance is that the polls should be staged on February 8.. We believe in transparent polls and we are already gearing up for elections, the party spokesperson noted.
سپریم کورٹ کی جانب سے انتخابات 8 فروری کو یقینی بنانے کا فیصلہ ملک میں جمہوریت اور آئین کی حفاظت کے لئے سنگ میل کی حیثیت رکھتا ہے۔ سپریم کورٹ نے تحریک انصاف کی جمہوریت اور آئین کے خلاف سازش ناکام بنا دی۔تحریک انصاف کی انتخابات سے راہ فرار اختیار کرنے کی کوشش ناکام ہو گئی ہے۔ یہ…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 15, 2023
The spokesperson also noted that the ECP has the constitutional right to appoint ROs and DROs of its choice.Slamming PTI founder Imran Khan, she said he was complaining about level playing as the buttons of the RTS were not in his hands anymore.PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar also said that his party wants elections on Feb 8, claiming that there were chances that the PTI might retract its plea in the LHC that started this entire conundrum.
We will try to do away with anything that comes in the way of elections. The PTI leader went on to say, “However, we are still demanding that the ROs and DROs be appointed from the judiciary.”
