Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial stated on Tuesday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lacks the authority to extend the polling date. The comment was made during a hearing on a petition by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the ECP’s decision to postpone elections in Punjab until October 8.
A five-member bench, led by CJP Bandial and including Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Aminuddin Khan, and Jamal Khan Mandokhail, oversaw the hearing. CJP Bandial noted that the case concerned whether the ECP could delay the election date.
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Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Usman Awan questioned the maintainability of PTI’s petition, suggesting that the Lahore High Court (LHC) should handle election-related matters. However, CJP Bandial dismissed Awan’s argument, stating that the two judges’ opinion was irrelevant to the case.
The bench addressed various questions about the ECP’s authority, including whether the election schedule could be reduced to less than 90 days and who could extend the election date beyond the 90-day limit.
PTI lawyer Ali Zafar argued that the ECP has the powers granted under Section 58 to ensure elections. If the ECP faces difficulties, the commission should turn to the court for resolution.
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CJ Bandial questioned the ECP’s ability to delay elections for an extended period and emphasized the need for political stability and maturity in holding elections. He concluded that the ECP had no authority or legal provisions to extend the election date.
 does not have the authority to extend the polling date during a hearing on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).){kind=link}