LAHORE: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid on Friday challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s decision of not holding the Punjab elections on time in the Supreme Court, Bol News reported.

Sheikh Rashid has made the federal government, ECP and others parties in the case. He filed the petition through his lawyer Azhar Siddique Advocate in the Lahore registry of the top court.

The petition said the SC had directed the ECP to hold elections on time and election schedule of Punjab was issued on order of the apex court. However, the ECP postponed the elections by cancelling the election schedule without any legal justification.

The petitioner said ECP’s step was unconstitutional and violation of the Supreme Court’s orders. Hence, the SC should take action against the caretaker Punjab government and ECP. The plea asked the court to direct the concerned authorities to hold elections by implementing the election schedule.

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On March 22, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had postponed the elections in Punjab and decided to hold the elections on Oct 8 2023.

The ECP had said that the conduct of the free and fair elections on April 30 is not possible, but it had not explained the reasons for postponement of the polls. It had suspended the schedule for the elections.

However, the ECP had said that all stakeholders had excused to assist it for holding the free and fair polls in the province.

The electoral watchdog had also issued a notification in this effect.