Delimitations: ECP rushes to SC against LHC, BHC verdicts

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Saturday decided to immediately move Supreme Court against Lahore High Court's annulment of new nomination papers and Balochistan High Court's rejection of delimitation of eight constituencies in the province.
The announcement was followed by directions issued by Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk to Attorney General of Pakistan that he should also file an appeal against the verdict of LHC. "The purpose of the appeal is to ensure holding of the general elections on time," said a brief statement of the PM House.
The decision to challenge the courts' verdicts comes during a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Mohammad Raza in which deliberations were made on the situation in wake of LHC and BHC verdicts following which it was feared that the elections might be delayed.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Additional Secretary ECP Akhtar Nazir along with other officials made it clear that there would be no delay in holding the general elections on July 25. However, he said that the Commission has the right to amend the schedule by a day or two, adding that any such decision would be made in the light of the Supreme Court's decision.
He said that the ECP has ordered the returning officers across the country not to receive nomination papers of the contesting candidates on June 3 and 4, adding that further directions regarding receipt of nomination papers will be issued to the returning officers keeping in view the order of the apex court.
He also clarified that the delay in receipt of nomination papers would be absorbed by two to three days as room is available in the current schedule and hoped that the apex court would decide the appeals soon.
He said that the ECP decided to immediately approach the Supreme Court against the LHC and BHC judgments. The LHC, on Friday, declared that new nomination forms drafted by the Parliament through Elections Act 2017 are against Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and ordered the ECP to revise nomination forms to include information such as educational background, criminal record of candidates and other details that were earlier part of the form.
On the same day, a BHC divisional bench comprising Justice Abdullah Baloch and Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan declared delimitation of eight provincial constituencies in Quetta district nullified and directed the ECP to review flaws and reorganize delimitation according to population of the areas.
The additional secretary ECP further said that during the meeting, the Commission also took strong notice of recent appointments and sought reply from respective governments. He referred to a recent transfer of a high official in Sindh province without the permission of the ECP.
He said the ECP has made it crystal clear that no caretaker government or authority can transfer or appoint a government official without seeking prior permission from the Commission.
About the transfer of civil and police officers at the center and the provinces in the run up to the elections, he said that the ECP decided that it will issue directions on the matter in the next two to three days.