Supreme Court Affirms Election Schedule, Bars Further Objections on Delimitations
Shahzad Raza
Islamabad:In a decisive move, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled on Monday that no objections on delimitations will be entertained by the courts after the announcement of the election schedule, firmly closing the possibility of any election delay. The three-member bench, led by interim Chief Justice Sardar Tariq, addressed an appeal filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the Balochistan High Court’s decision to alter the delimitations conducted by the electoral body.
The Supreme Court, in its ruling on the ECP’s appeal regarding the delimitation of two provincial seats in Quetta, not only nullified the Balochistan High Court’s decision on delimitation but also established that courts nationwide would no longer consider any petition challenging delimitations carried out by the ECP.
This development eliminates the potential for delays in the electoral process, as admitting petitions against delimitations could lead to lengthy litigation. The Supreme Court’s decision follows its recent nullification of the Lahore High Court’s order that had suspended the training of returning officers, a move that had raised concerns about possible election delays.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, leading the three-member bench, directed the Election Commission to announce the election schedule, bringing an end to uncertainties surrounding the upcoming polls. The Supreme Court’s order also stipulated that the Lahore High Court would not conduct further hearings on petitions related to the appointment of polling officers, with any matters concerning the issue to be referred to the top court.
The Lahore High Court’s decision, which had temporarily halted the Election Commission’s appointment of Returning Officers and District Returning Officers from the executive branch, was contested in response to a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Umair Niazi. In light of the Supreme Court’s verdict, the Election Commission promptly released the much-awaited schedule for the upcoming general elections. The Election Commission also resumed the training of Returning Officers and District Returning Officers, aligning with the directives of the top court.
