The Supreme Court has ordered the government to hold early elections in Punjab, the nation’s most populous province, on May 14.
FACTS OF THE CASE :
The decision by Pakistan’s election commission to postpone the assembly elections in two provinces was deemed “unconstitutional” by the country’s Supreme Court.
The nation’s highest court ordered on Tuesday that the government call early elections in Punjab, the province with the largest population, on May 14.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI party, led by former prime minister Imran Khan, submitted a petition that led to the court’s decision.
After the Punjab elections were postponed from April 30 to October 8 due to the government’s refusal to provide funding due to the economic crisis, Khan’s party appealed the ECP’s decision.
In an effort to force early national elections, the PTI decided to dissolve the provincial assemblies it controlled in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in January. Khan has been calling for early elections ever since he was ousted from power a year prior.
JUDGEMENT :
The Supreme Court directed the poll commission to declare the election calendar for the two provinces in a divided 3-2 decision in February after receiving a suo motu notice. Suo motu refers to when a court initiates proceedings on its own initiative after taking note of an issue that it determines to be of public interest.
The ECP declared the Punjab elections will take place on April 30 last month. To force the PTI to reschedule the highest court, it canceled the schedule on March 22 and announced October 8 as the new date.
It has been held that the undue delay of the election, is unconstitutional and thus has to be conducted accordingly.
JUDGEMENT REVIEW BY SREYA MARY.
