As a former Judge of the Indian Supreme Court I am deeply disappointed by the behaviour of the five judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court hearing the petition against the postponement of the Punjab elections to October 8.
An earlier Supreme Court 5 judge bench had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to fix the date of elections, and the ECP had fixed it for April 30, which had been announced by the Pakistan President Arif Alvi.
However, citing security and other reasons the ECP has now postponed the elections to October 8. To my mind the reasons for postponement are specious. Pakistan has an army and police to ensure security during elections.
The real reason is evidently the fact that all indications are that the PTI will sweep the polls if elections are held on schedule on April 30, and there are forces in Pakistan, apart from the PDM, which do not want this, as I have mentioned in this article here.
The Pakistan Supreme Court hearing the petition of the PTI should have stuck to its earlier verdict, and reiterated that Punjab elections must be held on April 30. But instead it appears to be playing to the galleries, and has permitted long winded arguments about the feasibility of holding elections on April 30.
www.thefridaytimes.com
The hearing of the case is still going on, and it has been reduced to a drama and a farce by the court and the lawyers opposing the petition.
I regret to say this, but the Court and the hearing have become a laughing stock. Had I been a judge hearing the case I would have disposed it off in 5 minutes holding that the elections must be held on April 30, as held earlier by the Court, come what may, and the security forces will ensure that they are conducted in an orderly manner.
After the above article had been written another development took place. The bench hearing the case has been dissolved following the recusal by a judge on the bench.
An earlier Supreme Court 5 judge bench had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to fix the date of elections, and the ECP had fixed it for April 30, which had been announced by the Pakistan President Arif Alvi.
However, citing security and other reasons the ECP has now postponed the elections to October 8. To my mind the reasons for postponement are specious. Pakistan has an army and police to ensure security during elections.
The real reason is evidently the fact that all indications are that the PTI will sweep the polls if elections are held on schedule on April 30, and there are forces in Pakistan, apart from the PDM, which do not want this, as I have mentioned in this article here.
The Pakistan Supreme Court hearing the petition of the PTI should have stuck to its earlier verdict, and reiterated that Punjab elections must be held on April 30. But instead it appears to be playing to the galleries, and has permitted long winded arguments about the feasibility of holding elections on April 30.
Had I Been The Judge, I'd Have Upheld That Pakistan's Elections Be Held on April 30: Justice Markandey Katju - The Friday Times - Naya Daur
An earlier Supreme Court 5 judge bench had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to fix the date of elections
www.thefridaytimes.com
The hearing of the case is still going on, and it has been reduced to a drama and a farce by the court and the lawyers opposing the petition.
I regret to say this, but the Court and the hearing have become a laughing stock. Had I been a judge hearing the case I would have disposed it off in 5 minutes holding that the elections must be held on April 30, as held earlier by the Court, come what may, and the security forces will ensure that they are conducted in an orderly manner.
After the above article had been written another development took place. The bench hearing the case has been dissolved following the recusal by a judge on the bench.
