The Supreme Court, on Friday, issued an order directing the government to ensure the conduct of general elections on February 8. This decision came a day after President Arif Alvi and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reached a unanimous agreement on the specified election date during a meeting at the President’s House.
Multiple pleas seeking the timely organization of elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies were being heard by a three-member bench. The bench was headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and also comprised Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan.
In its order, the court noted that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had issued a notification for the general election date, and no political party had raised objections to holding the elections on February 8.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa asked everyone present in the courtroom, including the Attorney-General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, if they had any objections to the election date, and all responded in the negative.
The Chief Justice emphasized that once all requirements are met, the Election Commission should announce the election schedule, confirming that elections would indeed take place on February 8.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Isa requested the Attorney-General to obtain the President’s signature on the minutes of the meeting with CEC Raja, as the previously submitted minutes lacked the President’s signature. Awan later filed the signed meeting minutes with the court following a temporary adjournment of the hearing, with the Supreme Court retaining the original signed minutes.
Chief Justice Isa stressed the importance of avoiding any suspicion or ambiguity in the matter, expressing the court’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity in the election process.
On a preceding occasion, CJP Isa had instructed the Election Commission to consult with President Alvi regarding the finalization of the election date and report back to the court.
In response to the Supreme Court’s directives, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja met with the President, and they unanimously agreed to hold the general elections on February 8, 2024.
It is worth noting that the pleas related to the timely conduct of elections were filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and others.
