Election Schedule Bars Delimitation Challenges: SC

News Desk

Islamabad:The Supreme Court (SC) has made a significant ruling, stating that objections to the delimitations for the upcoming general elections cannot be raised after the election schedule is announced.

This decision, in response to an appeal by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against changes made by the Balochistan High Court (BHC) to the delimitations, nullified the court’s decision and solidified the ECP’s authority in this matter.

Effectively, this ruling closes the door for courts to entertain petitions challenging the ECP’s delimitations, preventing potential election delays caused by lengthy legal processes.

Earlier, a Lahore High Court (LHC) order had halted the training of election officers, raising concerns about a possible postponement. However, the apex court’s intervention cleared the way for the elections to proceed as scheduled.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan-led bench directed the ECP to announce the election schedule, resolving uncertainties around the timing of the polls.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court ruled that the LHC should not hold hearings on issues related to the appointment of polling officers, directing any such matters to be referred to the top court.

In response to the top court’s directives, the ECP released the much-awaited schedule for the general elections and resumed training for election officers.

Despite the complexities stemming from the dissolution of the National Assembly and the need for fresh constituency delimitations after the digital census, the court’s rulings have provided clarity and a path forward for the electoral process.