CJP Bandial says decision to be announced by 11 a.m.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved the verdict on suo motu case regarding delay in the announcement of the date of provincial assemblies’ elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will announce it today, Wednesday, by 11am.
A five-member bench of the apex court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, concluded the two-day long proceedings in the case on Tuesday.
Earlier, the apex court had directed the incumbent government and the PTI to ‘sit together’ and decide on a date for elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab by 4 pm Tuesday.
CJP Bandial said that even if the court takes a decision on the matter of poll dates, “the litigation will continue and this will become very costly for the people and the political parties”.
The court passed the instructions after it resumed hearing the matter after a short recess.
However, when the hearing resumed after 4 pm, the lawyer for the Pakistan Muslim League-N stated that there was consultation among the allied parties of the incumbent government, but they required more time. He added that it would be appropriate for the court to proceed with the case.
Justice Muneeb questioned who would advise the president if the Assembly completed its terms. He stated that in case the assembly completed its term, elections must be held in two months.
According to the judge, the president could return the advice summary and in that case, 25 days would have been wasted.
The chief justice stated that elections within 90 days were necessary due to the current situation in the country. He further said that the Peshawar High Court took two weeks to give a notice, while a case was still pending before the Lahore High Court.
Justice Bandial continued that today was the second consecutive day in the Supreme Court and the case was almost over. He stated that the apex court is not supporting any political party but the Constitution.
