While filing an amended plea before top court on Wednesday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf sought court’s directives for implementation of the constitutional provisions relating to conduct general elections in the country within 90 days after dissolution of National Assembly.
The petition pointed out Supreme Court order has not been implemented for elections in Punjab on May 14. The petition also challenged approval of the new population census by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on August 05, claiming it was done in an unconstitutional manner with two unelected chief ministers in attendance.
It termed amendment in Section 57 of the Election Act as violation of Articles 48, 58, 105, 112 and 224 saying elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) should be held according to the 2017 population census. However, the elections could not be held in Punjab due to the delay in issuing the notification by the governor. Similarly, the governor of K-P has not given any date for the election in the province. “The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister thus he has been bound to give the election date,” the PTI petition said.
“According to the Supreme Court judgment and the constitution, elections should be held by November 07, 2023. The President suggested November 06 for polls”. It also lamented that the president invited the election commission for consultation on August 23, but the ECP refused. “The electoral body argued that announcement of the election date is the mandate of the election commission”. The PTI prayed, “The Supreme Court should fix the date of the national and provincial assemblies,”.
