Islamabad, Apr 4 (PTI) Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday termed as "unconstitutional" the election body's decision to postpone polls in Punjab till October 8 and fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the province, in a major blow to the federal government that has been trying to delay the election citing security issues and the economic crisis.
A three-member bench - headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan - in its unanimous verdict said that "neither the Constitution nor the law empowers the Commission to extend the date of elections beyond the 90 days period as provided in Article 224(2) of the Constitution." The bench fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the politically crucial province, in a boost to ousted prime minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The Cabinet rejected the apex court's verdict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referring to the "judicial murder" of late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and saying his "murder" took place on April 4, 1979, and on the same date today, the unfortunate episode was repeated with a decision of the Supreme Court in the polls delay case.
