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Wednesday, July 24, 2013
PML-N moves SC to reschedule electionBy Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Submitting a petition under Article 184 (3) of the constitution, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chairman Senator Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq has requested the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold presidential election six days ahead of schedule.
A three-member bench of the apex court will take up the PML-N leader’s petition today (Wednesday) regarding a change in election schedule. Raja Zafarul Haq, through his counsel Advocate Chaudhry Ashraf Gujjar, requested the court to direct the ECP to change its schedule of holding the presidential election to July 30 instead of August 6 while keeping the remaining schedule intact.
It must be noted that the ECP has already rejected the PML-N’s plea for holding presidential election six days ahead of schedule. Making the Election Commission of Pakistan, the chief election commissioner and the federation of Pakistan as respondents, the PML-N leader has contended that that last 10 days of Ramazan are normally the days of extensive spiritual and religious activity/worship and quite a number of the legislators may either be in Aitekaf or proceed for Umrah to Saudi Arabia during this period.
“6th August, 2013 shall fall on one of the last three days of Ramazan, probably on 27th day of Ramazan. This would be too close to Eidul Fitr and many parliamentarians may like to proceed to their hometowns by then,” he added. Haq expressed apprehension that if the election is held on August 6, a number of parliamentarians/voters would not be able to participate in the election.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk