Punjab, KP elections: LHC dismisses plea seeking direction to ECP

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed petition of a bar member seeking a direction to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for conducting elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) without a delay in light of the Supreme Court’s order.

“Presently the averments raised in the instant constitution petition are only based on apprehensions that free and fair elections shall not be conducted but no cogent and substantial material is available on the record to reach such a finding in the matter,” the court said.

Dismissing the petition the court said that the petition was pre-mature and based on apprehensions only.

The court noted that the petitioner referred to certain instances wherein certain incidents had taken place including the imposition of ban under Section 144 Cr.P.C and also referred to news items that the inspector general of police and chief secretary of Punjab had shown their inability to facilitate the conduct of the elections.

The court observed that nothing substantial was presently available on the record to establish that the ECP failed to implement articles 218 and 220 of the Constitution and was not proceeding to conduct elections in fair manner.

The court said, the ECP had not raised any plea against any of the officers that he/she was not helping in conducting the election in a proper manner or that it was not in a position to hold elections.

“Yet if any such matter had arisen, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had authorized the Election Commission of Pakistan to deal with the said matter in accordance with law,” the court added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023