Non-provision of election funds: Supreme Court order expected today

After evaluating a report addressing the allocation of resources and security personnel for the polls in Punjab, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected to deliver a ruling to the Supreme Court today.

The panel informed the court in a one-page report that the interim Punjabi government had only sanctioned 75,000 security personnel out of the 300,000 requested, and that the government had not released Rs21 billion as required by the Supreme Court.

The ruling issued by the ECP on March 22 was ruled unlawful on April 4 by a three-judge panel of the Supreme Court, which was led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and included Justices Ijaz ul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar.

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The Punjab election was delayed until October 8 and a new election date of May 14 was set by the bench in response to petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contesting the ECP’s decision.

Well-placed sources told the publication that in view of the report submitted by the ECP, CJP Bandial would deliberate with his fellow judges today on the non-implementation of its order and is likely to issue an appropriate order.

In pursuance of the apex court’s order, the ECP on Tuesday submitted the report on the non-provision of election funds as the federal government failed to release the finances to hold the polls in Punjab.

The report was submitted to the SC Registrar’s Office in a sealed envelope, which was sent to the chambers of the CJP, Justice Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar.