Peshawar High Court (PCH) seek ECP reply on delay in general election.
Through Ali Azeem Advocate, Naeem Ahmad Advocate filed the writ petition for general election. A party was formed out of the chief election commissioner, the Supreme Judicial Council secretary, and members of the ECP.
The petition was heard by a two-judge PHC bench made up of Justices Abdul Shakoor and Syed Arshad Ali.
Mohsin Kamran Siddique represented the ECP, and Ali Azeem Advocate represented the petitioner.
The petitioner argued that the ECP had released a press statement on August 17 of this year, stating that it was not feasible to hold elections in three months because a new delimitation process was underway and would not end until December.
The petitioner argued that, in accordance with the Constitution, elections ought to be held three months following the assembly’s dissolution.
He claimed that although it was constitutionally required to hold elections within the allotted time, there were several reasons why the ballot was being delayed.
The petitioner argued that certain elements were attempting to undermine this constitutional mandate. He wanted to take the ECP and its members to task.
The ECP had set February 8, 2024 as the election date, but no schedule had been released for the same, the court was informed. The election schedule was released 45 days prior to the election day, according to the ECP attorney’s submission to the court. Time was thus available for that.
According to Mohsin Kamran Siddique, the petitioner had demanded that general elections be held and had objected to the new delimitations. He claimed that since the new restrictions had been fulfilled and the election date had been declared, the petition had become null and void.
