The ECP cited the inability to hold fair and peaceful elections on the original date. The decision has been praised by the information minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, who said it is best for the nation.
The ECP’s action has raised questions about whether the ideologically divided top court will compel the relevant authorities to hold elections for the Punjab and K-P assemblies in accordance with the earlier schedule.
The court had previously used its suo motu jurisdiction to demand that both provincial assemblies hold elections within 90 days of their respective dissolutions.
The government has backed the ECP’s choice, describing it as a step in the right direction and consistent with the nation’s economic, political, and security circumstances.
The Information Minister cited Articles 224 of the Constitution, which mandates caretaker setups in the centre and provinces during the elections, and Article 218 of the Constitution, which directs the ECP to ensure transparent, impartial, and fair elections.
The Minister stated that the decision by the electoral watchdog had been made after consulting with all parties, and he expressed the hope that it would lead to political stability in the nation.
She added that delaying the elections was done in order to avoid controversy because holding them in April would have presented problems due to the ongoing census.
The Minister claimed that the Punjab and K-P assemblies would have disbanded in six months if the earlier schedule had been followed, resulting in a serious constitutional crisis.
She emphasised that governments in the two provinces would only be formed after the national assembly elections, and she also rejected the idea that the elections were being postponed to stroke one man’s ego.
In conclusion, the government has accepted the ECP’s decision to postpone the provincial assembly elections in Punjab and thinks it is in the best interests of the nation.
The action has also sparked a discussion about the top court’s responsibility in pressuring the relevant authorities to hold the elections in accordance with the earlier schedule. The government hopes that the ECP’s decision will lead to political stability in the nation and has cited the Constitution in support of it.
