Pakistan’s top court says delaying provincial polls illegal

Islamabad, Apr 4 (EFE).- Pakistan’s Supreme Court Tuesday declared the poll panel’s decision to delay the provincial assembly elections in eastern Punjab as “unconstitutional.”

The top court ordered the government to hold snap polls in the province on May 14.

The court said the order of the Election Commission “is declared unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect, and is hereby quashed.”

On Mar.22, the poll panel delayed until Oct.8 the election in the country’s most populated province, citing security threats and financial problems.

The move violated a recent Supreme Court ruling on holding the elections within 90 days from the dissolution of assemblies.

The then-ruling party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), of ousted prime minister Imran Khan, dissolved Punjab legislative assemblies to pressure the central government on early general elections in the country, scheduled for October of this year.

The top court then ruled that elections must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies, according to the constitution.

Praising the court decision, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the court ruling was the victory of the constitution.

“The decision of the Supreme Court is the decision of the rights of every Pakistani citizen,” Chaudhry tweeted.

PTI leaders are confident that a new election will return Khan to power.

Khan was ousted almost a year ago in a vote of no-confidence.

The ousted prime minister has consistently demanded early elections in the country after he lost power in April last year.

In an increasingly hostile atmosphere, Khan has been accused of dozens of charges, calling for his arrest.

Khan has accused the all-powerful military of side-lining his party from the political arena over personal differences that emerged during the tenure of General Qamar Bajwa as the army chief. EFE

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