Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start receiving nomination papers from prospective candidates for the upcoming general election from Wednesday (December 20).
The process is slated to begin after the oathtaking of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) by the ECP as per the Elections Act 2017.
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.