Governor KP says will consult for election date in province

PESHAWAR: Following the orders of SC to hold elections in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP governor Ghulam Ali has said that he will contact the ECP for the consultation.

“If the Election Commission does not contact him, then he will contact the body himself,” he was quoted as saying in his statement after the SC verdict in Punjab, KP election date case.

Kp governor Ghulam Ali said that he will follow the written decision of the Supreme Court. There is no other option, whatever the circumstances, he will comply with the decision of the SC.

He said, “It is on record that I consulted two or three times for the election date, now it is necessary that the President and I consult each other.”

The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on Wednesday that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab should be held within 90 days.

Read more: SC ORDERS TO HOLD ELECTIONS IN PUNJAB, KP IN 90 DAYS

CJP Justice Umar

Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the verdict, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the admissibility of the suo moto notice and dissented from the majority verdict.

Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail in their dissenting notes agreed with the position of Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Athar Minallah. “The matter was already being heard in the high courts, Supreme Court cannot take suo moto notice on the undertrial cases in the high courts.”

The short verdict stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed in discharging its role in the election. The announcement of the election date in KP is the responsibility of the provincial governor, while the president has the authority as per law and constitution to fix the election date in Punjab.

The verdict further stated a consultation to fix the date of elections in Punjab, if they are not possible on April 9, the date announced by the president.