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Pakistan top court orders snap polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by May 15: report

Pakistan’s Supreme Court said on April 4 the Election Commission’s decision to delay snap polls in two provinces was “illegal” and ordered that the elections be held between April 30 and May 15, Geo TV reported.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had delayed polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to October 8, citing a lack of resources. The elections were originally due to be held by April 30.

The case’s hearing which lasted over a week witnessed high drama after two judges of the original five-member bench, Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Aminuddin Khan, recused themselves from hearing the case. Thereafter, the CJP constituted a bench comprising himself, Justice Ahsan and Justice Akhtar to proceed with the PTI petition.

The apex court had in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on March 1 that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, both of which have been under caretaker governments since the provincial assemblies were dissolved in January, should be held within 90 days.

The government, however, had disputed the court directions, calling the verdict 4-3 instead after Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, who were among the four judges who had written additional notes in the February 23 order, raised objections on the constitution of the bench as well as the invocation of the apex court’s suo motu jurisdiction by the chief justice, according to Dawn.

The CJP, however, rejected the government’s request for a full court and instead suggested that a larger bench could be sought.
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