ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday fixed for hearing a petition filed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seeking review of the verdict regarding holding elections in Punjab on May 14.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial will take up the ECP’s plea on May 15. Justice Ejazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar will be the other members of the bench.
On April 4, the Supreme Court declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till October 8 “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as a new date.
In a 14-page review petition filed by the ECP on May 3, the electoral body pleaded with the Supreme Court to suspend its May 14 decision until a verdict on the revision petition on the issue.
“SC should review its decision as the judiciary doesn’t have the authority to give the date of elections,” the ECP petition read.
“If the decision is not suspended, the election commission will suffer an irreparable loss,” the petitioner pleaded.
The electoral watchdog further requested the apex court to “accept the instant Review Petition by revisiting, reviewing, reconsidering and recalling its April 4 order”.
