In a significant development ahead of polls, the Lahore High Court on Thursday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification to hold general elections in Punjab through the executive.
LHC’s Justice Ali Baqar Najafi announced the verdict on a petition filed by the PTI against the appointment of district returning officers and returning officers from the bureaucracy of Punjab for the general polls.
While announcing the reserved verdict, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi issued notices to the caretaker federal and Punjab governments and the Election Commission of Pakistan. In its five-page order, the LHC noted, “If the major political parties did not accept the election results, the nation’s money would be wasted.” It further pointed out that it was the ECP’s duty to conduct free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has stopped training of district returning officers and returning officers who were appointed for the upcoming general elections following the LHC order.
