The federal and Punjab governments have termed the Supreme Court’s verdict about polls in Punjab unlawful.
In their separate response to the SC’s verdict submitted in the court, the federal and Punjab government said the apex court ‘invalidated the authority’ of the Election Commission of Pakistan by giving a date for elections.
Therefore, the federal and the Punjab government have urged the Supreme Court to review its decision announced in April this year to hold polls in Punjab.
According to the federal government, Punjab is the province with the highest number of seats in the National Assembly. Hence, a victory in Punjab will influence the elections for the National Assembly.
The elections in Punjab province should be held at the same time as the National Assembly, the government said, urging the court to review its April 4 decision.
Meanwhile, the caretaker Punjab government has also opposed early polls in the province. The Supreme Court cannot give a date for holding elections on May 14, it said in its reply.
According to the Punjab government’s reply, announcing the May 14 date is a violation of the constitutional separation of powers.
After the May 9 incident, the security situation in the province has changed, it claims, adding civil and military properties were damaged after the arrest of Imran Khan.
In Punjab, about 554,000 security personnel are required to hold elections while only 77,000 personnel are available at this time.
The election commission has the constitutional responsibility to conduct free and transparent elections, the responses say.
In April, the Supreme Court ordered the federal government, ECP, and Punjab government to hold elections in the province. The apex court also directed the federal government to release Rs21 billion in funds required for polls in the province.
However, till today, no one paid heed to the Supreme Court’s order.
