F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) here Monday reserved verdict on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition seeking holding of the upcoming general elections under the supervision of judiciary.
The division bench headed by Chief Justice of PHC, Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan and Justice Shakeel Ahmed after hearing arguments has reserved the judgment. Advocate Muazzam Butt of PTI had moved the application before PHC seeking the holding of February 8, 2024 election under the judiciary’s supervision.
The petitioner has challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) notification for the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs). During the hearing, the PTI’s Advocate Butt contended that the polling staff is to be posted two months prior to the election and questioned that how will the ECP hold transparent polls if they have not made timely arrangements in this regard.
Meanwhile, responding to the PTI’s plea against ECP’s notification, PHC Chief Justice Ibrahim said that we are bound by the SC decision and cannot go against it. The chief justice was referring to the Supreme Court’s December 15 verdict wherein the apex court had suspended the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) ruling in response to a similar petition filed by the PTI against the ECP’s decision to appoint ROs and DROs from bureaucracy.
On Saturday, a three-member top court bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa directed the ECP to issue the poll schedule and ensure timely elections on the said date. Following this, the electoral body issued the election schedule on the same day.
