PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to provide a detailed response by January 16 regarding the scheduling of Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmed heard a petition concerning the delay in conducting Senate elections in the province.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel reminded the court that in a prior session, the ECP had requested additional time to finalize a date for the elections.
The ECP’s legal representative informed the bench that the Commission had convened several meetings to deliberate on the matter, including one on December 10, and consultations were still ongoing. He further stated that a review of reserved Senate seats was pending in the Supreme Court, and its ruling could impact the election process.
Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged delays, emphasizing that the court could not permit open-ended timelines. While the Chief Justice initially suggested giving the ECP two weeks to resolve the matter, the ECP’s lawyer requested more time, citing the possibility of clarity from the Supreme Court’s decision.
However, the Chief Justice stressed the importance of adhering to deadlines and instructed the ECP to submit its final response by January 16.
It is worth mentioning that the ECP had earlier postponed Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 28 due to the failure of the Provincial Assembly Speaker to administer the oath to newly elected members.
