SC adjourns hearing of ECP plea on Punjab polls, Review Order Act till June 13,

ISLAMABAD –CJP Bandial remarked that everyone wanted a decision on the Punjab election review case.

“There are certain limits for [filing] an appeal,” the top judge remarked, adding that the ECP’s lawyer had contended that they had extensive authorities.

“The matter of elections is a national issue. Implementation on the May 14 orders is not possible but this has become a historical verdict,” he added. The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on the Election Commission’s (ECP) review petition against its decision to hold elections in Punjab and and the Supreme Court (Review of Judgement and Orders) Act till June 13.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar heard the review petition filed by the ECP, federal and provincial governments, and the Supreme Court orders act.

Earlier, the bench clubbed together pleas against the recently-enacted Review Act, 2023, with the ECP’s petition against its April 4 order of holding polls to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice Bandial remarked that the Punjab election review case and Supreme Court (Review of Judgements and Orders) Bill, 2023, be heard simultaneously.

The chief justice summoned PTI lawyer Ali Zafar to rostrum and sought his stance on the issue. Barrister Zafar replied that the new law is inconsistent with the Constitution and a continuation of the Supreme Court (Review of Judgements and Orders) law.