
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has scheduled a hearing on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) review petition challenging its decision to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.
In its April 4 judgment, the Supreme Court pronounced the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly until October 8 “unconstitutional” and set May 14 as a new date.
On May 15, a three-member panel led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial will hear the ECP’s petition. The other members of the bench will be Justices Ejazul Ahsan and Muneeb Akhtar.
In a 14-page review petition filed on May 3, the ECP asked the Supreme Court to stay its May 14 ruling until the revision case on the subject was resolved.
“The Supreme Court should reconsider its decision because the judiciary lacks the authority to set election dates,” the ECP petition stated.
“If the decision is not suspended, the election commission will suffer an irreparable loss,” the petitioner pleaded.
The supreme court was also asked to “accept the instant Review Petition by revisiting, reviewing, reconsidering, and recalling its April 4 order.”