Seeking limit on expenditure during electioneering: government asked to present its point of view

The Supreme Court on Monday issued directives to Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Maulvi Anwarul Haq to submit on Tuesday (today) government's point of view over a plea; in relation to the money spent by political parties during electioneering.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez was hearing a constitutional petition filed by Workers Party. The petitioner seeking a limit on expenditure, which is allowed under the law for electioneering.
The petitioner, senior advocate Abid Hassan Minto, urged the court to exercise its jurisdiction under Article 184(3) of the constitution with a pray to ensure that there must be laws that should set the norms for elections and fix expenditure. At the outset of hearing, Minto pleaded that the need for promoting democratic culture in Pakistan was never seriously felt. He argued that in order to promote a democratic culture and ensure equal opportunities to the general masses for contesting elections, a culture of limited expenditure.
Minto contended that there must be laws envisaging norms and mechanisms for elections so that everybody could avail the right to contest election. Justice Tariq Parvez observed that the culture cannot be introduced either by court or law. The Chief Justice observed that the court could not direct the parliament for making a legislation.
The Chief Justice said that making legislation was not a difficult task. According to him, after the successful passage of 18th, 19th and 20th constitutional amendments, laws could be made in this regard too. The CJP further said that not even the Election Commission obeyed the orders of the Supreme Court, adding that the court had to force the commission to do its job.
Justice Tariq Parvez said that as many as 50 percent political parties in their replies endorsed the idea of making proper legislation for limiting expenditure during general elections. This is the job of Election Commission to fulfil its responsibility under Article 218 of the constitution.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain told Minto that he must not put the responsibility of on the shoulders of 17 SC judges as it was the job of limiting expenditure parliamentarians. Justice Tariq Parvez, however, observed that there would be statements accusing Supreme Court of working against the Election Commission. The bench adjourned the hearing of the case till April 10 (today).
Imran Khan vs ECP: The bench while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Imran Khan against ECP under Article 184 seeking preparation of a fair and transparent voter list, directed the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) to seek information from the ECP as to why the apex court order asking the ECP to finalise electoral rolls by February 23. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till May 7.