KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned a ‘consultative meeting’ tomorrow following the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict on Punjab elections, declaring the watchdog’s order ‘unconstitutional’ yesterday.

According to details, the electoral watchdog summoned the meeting tomorrow at 11am to consult over the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict on Punjab elections, declaring the watchdog’s order to postpone polls of the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8 “unconstitutional”. The meeting would be chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) March 22 order on Punjab elections null and void.

A three-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — announced the reserved verdict on the PTI’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order postponing the elections in Punjab and KP.

The Supreme Court declared the ECP’s order postponing the provincial assembly elections until October 8 as “unconstitutional” and ordered the government to release Rs21 billion funds for elections in Punjab by April 10.

The top court directed to conduct Punjab polls on May 14. The SC further directed the caretaker government in Punjab to assist the commission.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 05 2023

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