ECP announces Feb 11 election date

ISLAMABAD: The he Election Commission of Pakistan has announce the election date and informed the Supreme Court that the general election in the country will be held on February 11.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the ECP to consult the president on the election date and inform the court by Friday.

A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the election case regarding holding elections in 90 days.

During the hearing, the chief justice remarked, “The president is a Pakistani, and the election commission is also Pakistani, and why the latter is hesitent in consulting the president?”

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa made it clear that once the election date is announced, it becomes a fixed date. “We won’t change the date; we will ensure that the elections take place on that particular date. The court will implement its decision, and the final election date announcement will be made by the Supreme Court.”

On arguments of PTI’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, the chief justice remarked that on August 9, the National Assembly was dissolved, and in September, the president wrote a letter. If you want us to ask the president to announce the election date. If the president does not comply, will we issue a contempt of court notice to him?

Justice Athar Minallah stated, “The day the National Assembly was dissolved, if the president issued a date on that day, no one would have objected to it.

Finalise a date for elections, and stick to it, SC tells ECP

On behalf of the Supreme Court Bar, Abid Zubairi requested legal action against those who did not announce the election date.

To this, the chief justice asked, “Do you want to initiate Article 6 proceedings against the president of Pakistan? Abid Zubairi you are forcibly leading us to a place where we did not wish to go; you desire the establishment of a five-member bench for constitutional interpretation.”

Election commission’s counsel, Sajeel Swati, informed the court that the final lists would be completed by December 5, and there are 54 days from December 5 to January 29. By January 29, preparations for the elections will be complete. Sundays were being considered for the convenience of the public during elections. The first Sunday for elections will fall on February 4, and the second Sunday on February 11. It has been decided that elections will be held on February 11.

When the chief justice asked from the ECP counsel about consultation with the president, the lawyer explained that they were not bound to take advice from the president.

At this, the chief justice expressed his annoyance and said, “The president is a Pakistani, and the election commission is also Pakistani; why there is a hesitation in consulting the president?”

The Supreme Court directed the ECP lawyer to inform the court about the final election date.