Jamaat-e-Islami Requests Pak SC To Direct Election Commission To Hold Polls Within 90 Days

The Jamaat-e-Islami has recently approached the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure national elections within 90 days.

JI leader Liaqat Baloch filed this petition in the apex court. In the petition, the JI leader requested the court to instruct the ECP to hold general elections within 90 days in Pakistan.

This is the 3rd such petition filed in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

Earlier, the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Supreme Court Bar Association, Abid Saeed Jubari, had filed a similar petition in the Supreme Court. The petitioner’s counsel requested the top court to declare the decision of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) invalid regarding the delay in the census and the 2023 population census. The ECP had stated that holding general elections within 90 days is not feasible. Pakistan’s electoral watchdog mentioned that it has decided to organize the upcoming general elections based on the 2023 population census.

The ECP stated that it is obligated to conduct the delimitation process, with the first publication set for October 9th and the final publication on December 14th.

Prior to this, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) to halt the delay in the general elections. PTI presented arguments against the delay in the Supreme Court. According to the arguments presented in the Supreme Court, the President should announce the election date within 90 days. PTI recommended that the Supreme Court invalidate the decision of the SJC regarding the delay in the census and the 2023 population census. In accordance with the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) previous orders, the upcoming general elections should be held within 90 days.

Regarding the announcement of the election date, the LHC has sent notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Chief Secretary to the President. As per a statement from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), all political parties have agreed to hold the general elections based on the latest census results.