Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on late Friday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that elections in Punjab will be held within 90 days.
Announcing the reserved verdict, Justice Jawad Hassan accepted the PTI plea and asked the electoral body to stage the polls within the constitutional limit.
The PTI had moved the high court requesting the court to direct the election commission issue the dates for the elections in Punjab.
During Friday’s hearing, Inspector General of Punjab Police, Dr Usman Anwar and the chief secretary appeared before the court.
Punjab’s top cop and bureaucrat assured the court that they will follow whatever the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decides. The chief secretary also said that they would follow through on the court’s order.
On January 14, 2023, pursuant to the advice of the then chief minister in accordance with terms of Article 112(1) of the Constitution, the assembly stood dissolved.
He contended that subsequently, the speaker of the Punjab Assembly through a letter on January 20, 2023 requested the respondent to fulfil his constitutional duties and immediately appoint a date for elections not later than 90 days from the date of the dissolution of the legislature as required by Article 105 (3)(1)(a) read with Article 224 of the Constitution.
The plea further read that the ECP, through a letter dated January 24, 2023, communicated its concern with respect to the inaction of the respondent in announcing a date for the elections and required him to fix a date between April 9, 2023 and April 13, 2023.
