Islamabad (Web Desk): The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday declared Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) March 22 decision on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections as null and void.
A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, announced the reserved verdict.
In its verdict, the court declared the ECP's orders postponing the provincial assembly elections until October 8 as "illegal".
"Constitution and law do not give the authority to postpone the election date," said the apex court, adding that the electoral process was at its fifth stage when the ECP announced its decision.
In its verdict, the court clarified that the ECP could not go beyond the 90-day stipulated time.
The court directed the ECP to reinstate its previous election schedule under which polls were to be held and extended it by 13 days.
The court directed to conduct provincial assembly polls between April 30 to May 15.
"The caretaker government in Punjab will assist the ECP and instructed the electoral body to inform the court if the government refused to do so," the SC order said.
The constitution and laws of the Election Commission did not allow extension of the date, it added.
As per the decision, candidates would be able to submit nomination papers from April 10, the ECP would publish the list of candidates on April 19, and electoral symbols would be issued by April 20.
The court also directed the government to release Rs 21 billion for elections in Punjab by April 10 and told the ECP to submit a report on the matter in court the same day.
"In the case of non-provision of funds, the court will issue an appropriate order, it added".
Earlier today, the Ministry of Defence submitted its report to the SC through Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan with the details regarding the availability of security personnel for election duties.
The ECP had earlier set the date for elections in Punjab on April 30, but later it was postponed to October 8, in Punjab and KP
Later, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had moved the SC against the decision of the electoral body regarding the postponement of polls.
On Monday, the three-member SC bench had reserved the judgment after hearing all the parties, including the lawyers of the ruling coalition, the PTI, the ECP and others.
