ISLAMABAD , April 11, 2023: The deadline given by the Supreme Court for providing Rs21 billion funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has expired.
The federal government could not release Rs21 billion to the ECP for the elections, Dunya News reported.
The Supreme Court on April 4 had set Monday (April 10) as the deadline for the government to issue funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and told the ECP to report back to it on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar introduced a bill pertaining to funds for general elections in Punjab and KP in the National Assembly hours before the deadline given by the Supreme Court expired. The bill titled “Charged Sums for General Elections of Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bill 2023” was presented in both houses of parliament – National Assembly and Senate.
“Provincial snap elections are not in Pakistan’s national interest given its economic turmoil and security situation,” the country’s finance minister said on Monday, in defiance of an order by the country’s apex court. Mr Dar put forward a financial bill to seek a vote on whether to approve the election funding. It was not clear when a vote would take place.
“The country’s economic, security and internal conditions demand that snap polls aren’t in the national interest,” he said.
SC fixes May 14 for Punjab elections
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday (April 4) declared the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding delay in elections in Punjab null and void, ordering polls on May 14.
Apex court’s three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, issued the unanimous verdict reserved on Monday after hearing arguments from parties concerned. It also ruled that the ECP carried out an unconstitutional act by delaying the polls.
Imran Khan-led party had filed the petition regarding delay in elections after the ECP on March 22 put off the polls till Oct 8, citing financial and security constraints.
It said the schedule for polls in Punjab had been revised as the ECP order caused delay in the process. The bench also ordered the election commission to issue a schedule for polls in KP.
The apex court ordered the government to provide Rs21 billion funds till April 10, directing the ECP to approach it if the resources were not provided to it by the government. It also directed the caretaker Punjab government to play its constitutional role, besides ordering the chief secretary to finalise a security plan for elections till April 10. The CJP Bandial-led bench also ordered the government to ensure the provision of security for elections.
Revised Election Schedule
As per the revised schedule issued by court, nomination papers could be submitted till April 10 while the last date for filing the appeals had been fixed April 17. Candidates will be able to file review petitions on appeals till April 18 while final list of candidates will be issued on April 19. The ECP will allot electoral symbols on April 20.
KP Election
The bench said the matter related to elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be heard separately.