PTI retracted contempt of court plea against CEC after objection raised by IHC

Islamabad: (Staff Reporter) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) retracted its contempt of court plea against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja after the objection raised by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The registrar of the court had earlier objected how a contempt of court could be filed against to the CEC. PTI had filed a contempt of court plea against the CEC and the federal government after the ECP did not comply with the court’s orders of holding local government elections in Islamabad on Dec 31.

According to the source, the PTI contended that as the ECP and the federal government had failed to conduct elections on the stipulated date, they had committed a crime rendering them liable to be proceeded under the contempt of court. On Dec 31, the IHC had deferred the ECP and federal government’s intra-court appeals against the IHC’s orders for a week. It is imperative to mention here that the ECP could not conduct elections because, according to sources, it lacked the required workforce.

Moreover, the ECP told the court that it would be ready to hold elections in four months. On the other hand, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said up to five months were required to hold LG elections in the capital. It resulted in spat between the ruling coalition and the PTI.