Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that no objections can be raised on the delimitations after the announcement of the schedule for the general elections.
A three-member bench of the top court, headed by interim chief justice Sardar Tariq, took up an appeal filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) challenging the Balochistan High Court’s (BHC) verdict to change the delimitations carried out by the electoral body.
The ECP had challenged changes to two constituencies in Zhob and Shirani made by the Balochistan High Court. However, the top court set aside the BHC’s order and accepted the ECP’s appeal.
Last week, the top court suspended Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict against appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy.
In its ruling, the top court has also ordered the ECP to issue election schedule tonight.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Sardar Tariq Masood heard the petition.
At the outset of hearing, the CJP said he hoped that the elections will take place on February 8, 2024. In response, the ECP’s counsel, Shakeel Swati, stated that they are making every effort to ensure this happens.
Addressing the ECP’s lawyer, the CJP said, “I missed my flight. How are you going to compensate this? Nevertheless, we’re hearing the case in this court.”
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah asked who approached the LHC. To which ECP’s lawyer explained that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had filed the petition.
Earlier, LHC’s Justice Ali Baqir Najafi had ruled on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) plea, which contended that the electoral body's move to appoint DROs and ROs from bureaucracy would hinder the prospects of impartial and transparent elections.
Accepting the PTI’s plea, Justice Najafi suspended the ECP’s notification and referred the matter to referred the case to the LHC chief justice, recommending constituting a larger bench to hear the case.