By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday moved the Supreme Court (SC) to review its order of holding elections in Punjab on May 14.
The federal government and the Punjab caretaker government submitted their replies before court. The federal government stated that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold free and fair elections in the country, adding that the SC made the authority of the ECP ineffective by ordering the date itself.
If elections were held in Punjab, it could affect the elections in the National Assembly (NA), it stated.
The federal government went on to say that Punjab had the highest number of seats in the National Assembly, adding that it decided the government in the centre. “Elections should be held simultane-ously with the NA,” it added.
Punjab chief secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, in the reply, stated that it was not the SC’s prerogative to announce the date for elections, adding that the apex court violated the constitution by announcing the date. “Article 218 allows the ECP to hold free and fair elections,” it added.
The SC did not announce the date for elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), it stated.
Mr Zaman went on to state that it was incumbent upon the ECP to change the elections’ schedule, adding that the province’s security situation changed after May 9 events. “As many as 545,000 security personnel are required for holding elections, but only 77,000 will be available if elections are held now,” it added.
Earlier, the SC had ruled that the order of the ECP regarding delay in elections in Punjab null and void, ordering polls on May 14 and the government to release Rs21 billion in supplementary grant to hold polls until April 10. The court also ordered the electoral watchdog to present a report on the provision of funds on April 11.
It came as Imran Khan-led party had filed the petition regarding delay in elections after the ECP on March 22 put off the polls till Oct 8, citing financial and security constraints.
Later, the federal government, in response, took the matter to the parliament to get the funding ap-proved. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the election expenses bill in the National Assembly.
The ECP, on April 11, apprised the SC in a report that the government had not provided funds to the commission for holding elections in Punjab. According to the Election Commission, the government had not yet provided Rs21 billion despite SC’s order and the Punjab caretaker government had agreed to provide only 75000 personnel for security. “There is a shortage of three lakh security personnel for the elections in Punjab,” the ECP noted.
Upon this, the court issued notices to top officials including Attorney General Manssor Awan, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad, Secretary of the Finance department, and Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over failing to provide funds for upcoming Punjab elec-tions.
Later, the PTI and the PDM-led government sat on the negotiating table, starting on April 27, to talk through elections but it culminated in consensus on holding elections simultaneously across the coun-try with an impasse on the date during its third and last round on May 2.
On May 3, the ECP approached the court seeking review of its order to hold polls on May 14.
Three days later, CJP Bandial said the apex court would proceed in line with the constitution and would not sit idle on the May 14 election issue if the dialogue between the government and the PTI failed.
Court took up the ECP’s plea on May 15, and adjourned the hearing while underscoring the need for holding dialogue amond political stakeholders.
