ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Tuesday, submitted a report on whether it has received funds by the federal government for general elections in the Punjab province.
The ECP, in a sealed envelope, filed the report at the SC’s Registrar’s Office.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar on April 4 had fixed May 14 as the polling day for the Punjab election, and asked the Commission to file a report in the Court by 11.04.2023 stating whether the said funds have been provided and received and if so, whether in full or in part.
In its order the bench said; “The federal government shall forthwith and in any case by 10.04.2023 release and provide to the Commission funds, i.e., Rs21 billion for the general elections to the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies.”
Dar tables money bill to fund elections in Punjab, KP
The government has so far not issued the funds for polls and instead referred the matter of election funds to the Parliament. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar introduced the “Charged Sums for General Elections (Provincial Assemblies of the Punjab and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa)” Bill 2023 in both houses of parliament.
The bill is aimed at carving a legal way for the release of Rs21 billion funds for holding elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Dar introduced the piece of legislation as “money bill”, which gives the voting right on it to the National Assembly and a maximum 14-day time to the Senate to give recommendations on the bill.
The SC order said: “If the funds have not been provided or there is a shortfall, as the case may be, the court may make such orders and give such directions as are deemed appropriate to such person or authority as necessary in this regard.”
A day ago, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja wrote letters to National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, proposing amendments to Sections 57 (1) and 58 of the Elections Act, 2017, sources told Dawn.
Letters on similar lines, signed by ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan, were also sent to the principal secretary to the prime minister and secretary for parliamentary affairs. Under the proposed amendments, the ECP wants its power back to announce and alter the election schedule at any stage without any intervention by a ‘third party’.
“Section 11 of the original (Peoples’ Representation) Act of 1976 empowered the Commission to announce poll date unilaterally without any trace of intervention by a third party. The Section was amended through Ordinance No. 11 of 1985 (12.1.1985) with the sole object to create the role of the President to hold the elections at the whims of one man,” say the identical letters.
“The role of the president to appoint a date for poll in case of dissolution of the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister or the dissolution of the National Assembly on expiry of the term, is not supported by any constitutional provision,” one of the letters pointed out.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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