ECP to approach SC regarding Lahore, Balochistan high courts' decisions affecting elections
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday announced that it will approach the Supreme Court against recent verdicts by Lahore and Balochistan high courts that put a question mark on the fate of the upcoming general elections.
The Lahore High Court (LHC), in its verdict released yesterday, had ordered the ECP to revise nomination forms to include information such as educational background and criminal record of candidates which was excluded by the parliament via Elections Act 2017.
Earlier, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) had declared delimitation of eight provincial constituencies in Quetta district null and void. Both the decisions had brought the holding of timely polls into question.
The ECP, following a session chaired by the election commissioner, prevented the returning officers from accepting nomination forms until June 4, adding that fresh directions would be issued after the SC decides on ECP's appeals.
Additional Secretary Akhtar Nazeer, announcing the commission's decision, vowed that the general elections would be held on July 25 as scheduled. However, while answering a question, he said that the commission had the right to amend the schedule by a day or two.
He clarified that the delay in receipt of nomination papers would be absorbed by the two to three days room available in the current schedule and hoped that the SC would decide on the appeals soon.
The official also said that the commission had asked for clarification from the governments that had posted officers recently without informing the ECP in violation of the rules.