Federal Cabinet turns down SC’s verdict on Punjab, KP elections

Islamabad: Federal Cabinet turned down Supreme Court’s verdict on election, the sources said on Tuesday.

A federal cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a session, considered the decision of the apex court for holding elections in Punjab.

The cabinet declared the court’s decision as a ‘minority verdict’ and ‘non implementable’.

The reaction came after  a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared null and void the Election Commission of Pakistan's  22nd March decision of postponing the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The short order read out by the Chief Justice of Pakistan said neither the constitution nor the law empowers the commission to extend the date of elections beyond the 90 days period as provided in Article 224(2) of the Constitution.

According to the judgment, polling for the Punjab Assembly's election will now be held on the 14th May. The tenth of April has now been set as the last date for filing of appeals against decision of the Returning Officer rejecting or accepting the nomination papers. Last date for withdrawal of candidature and publication of revised list of candidates will be 19th April while election symbol to the contesting candidates will be issued on 20th April.

The court asked the federal government to provide twenty-one billion rupees to the election commission for the elections.

The apex court said the caretaker government must provide a plan ensuring sufficient personnel for election duty and security purposes for the holding the elections. It said the federal government should aid the commission for the conduct of the elections.