ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petitioned the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday to overturn Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Haji Ghulam Ali’s October 8 polling schedule.
The petition stated that the “Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has no jurisdiction or power to amend the Constitution. As well as decide to hold the elections to the Provincial Assembly of K. P or to any other assembly beyond the period of 90 days as mandated by the Constitution.”
The PTI also claimed in the appeal that the ECP must follow and implement the highest court’s rulings. As well as it cannot overturn or review them.
“Under the Constitution, there is no provision in which an unelected and selected caretaker government can continue to operate for more than 90 days,” the petition stated.
“The governor as well as [the] ECP that the finances are not available or that law-and-order situation in the country is not conducive to hold the elections is, with respect, legally flawed and a disingenuous excuse to delay the elections,” the petition stated.
The party asked the court to declare the K-P governor’s “impugned letter” invalid and direct the electoral watchdog to organise K-P polls within 90 days.
The ECP announced K-P elections for October 8 last week. The electoral watchdog informed the public on March 27.
The K-P governor recommended October 8 for provincial elections. He wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja to schedule the K-P Assembly election.
The governor also noted deteriorating law and order in the province.
The PTI filed a petition in the top court only days after the supreme court called the ECP’s earlier decision to postpone Punjab polls “unconstitutional,” a blow to the government.
