The high court also suspended the electoral body’s order seeking ROs from the bureaucracy
LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suspended the training of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) designated for the upcoming general elections. This decision comes following a directive from the Lahore High Court (LHC). The notification to cease training has been communicated to the election commissioners of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
he LHC had previously suspended the ECP’s order seeking ROs from the bureaucracy for the general elections scheduled for February 8 next year. In response to a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Justice Ali Baqir Najafi recommended referring the case to the LHC chief justice and forming a larger bench for further proceedings.
The petitioner argued that impartial and transparent elections could not be ensured under a caretaker government, and the court should annul the ECP’s notification. The ECP’s counsel contended that the commission had sought assistance from the judiciary, but it was denied judicial officers. The counsel emphasized the ECP’s responsibility for organizing fair and transparent elections.
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The LHC order highlighted the constitutional duty of the ECP to organize and conduct elections in an honest, just, fair, and lawful manner. It noted the commission’s authority to take preemptive steps to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements and called for a level playing field in the election process. The suspension of RO training reflects the ongoing legal complexities surrounding the election preparations.
