The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) request to review its order for the Punjab Assembly elections to be held on May 14. The verdict was announced by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The SC had previously declared the ECP's decision to postpone the elections from April 10 to October 8 as unconstitutional. The new date of May 14 was set in a blow to the then coalition government, which was seen as dragging its feet on the provincial elections.
The SC's decision to dismiss the ECP's plea means that the elections in Punjab will go ahead as scheduled on May 14. This is a major victory for the opposition parties, who had been demanding that the elections be held as soon as possible.
The SC's decision is also a setback for the government, which had been hoping to delay the elections until after the general elections scheduled for October 2023. The government had argued that the Punjab elections could not be held on May 14 due to logistical reasons, but the SC has rejected this argument.
The SC's decision is likely to have a significant impact on the political landscape in Punjab. The opposition parties are now in a strong position to win the elections, and this could lead to a change in government in the province. The government, on the other hand, is facing a major challenge, and it will need to find a way to win back the support of the people of Punjab.
