The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday constituted a committee to meet Punjab Governor on Tuesday to consult polling date of Punjab Assembly elections in the light of Lahore High Court verdict. The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, decided to seek time from Punjab Governor to meet the committee on Tuesday for devising a future strategy regarding holding of provincial assembly elections. The committee headed by the Secretary ECP and comprising the Special Secretary and Director General Law will brief the Commission about the outcome of the meeting with the Governor. The meeting was attended by members of the Commission, Secretary ECP and senior officers of the Commission. The Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies – where the PTI had governments – were dissolved on January 14 and January 18, respectively, in an attempt to pave the way for snap polls.
On Jan 24, the ECP wrote letters to the principal secretaries of Punjab and KP governors, suggesting elections in Punjab between April 9 and 13, and in KP between April 15 and 17. The PTI had on Jan 27 approached the LHC seeking orders for the Punjab governor to immediately announce a date for an election in the province. The LHC had subsequently directed the ECP to immediately announce the date for elections after consultation with the governor, in his capacity as the constitutional head of the province.
