Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Friday called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to discuss the possible repercussions of the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict, VOS News reported citing sources.
As per media reports the huddle, attended by Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Tariq Masood, CEC Raja apprised the apex court judges regarding the LHC order which suspended the electoral body’s notification requesting returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy for the general elections slated for February 8, 2024.
Sources said that CEC Raja informed the chief justice of the preparations being made by the ECP for the polls slated to be held on February 8, 2024.
According to experts, the general elections might face a delay after a LHC order suspended a notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the appointment of returning officers (RO) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy.
LHC’s Justice Ali Baqar Najafi announced the verdict on a petition filed by the PTI against the appointment of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) from the bureaucracy of Punjab for the general polls.
In its five-page order, the LHC noted that the poor people had spent billions of rupees on conducting the elections. “If the major political parties did not accept the election results, the nation’s money would be wasted,” it added.
Following the LHC ruling, the election watchdog stopped a three-day session to train ROs.
The high court order has seemingly brought the electoral process to a standstill, causing widespread concern among political parties regarding general polls which are scheduled to be held on Feb 8 next year.
