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Stay Feb 25 by-poll: Imran Khan asks Supreme Court
PTI chief Imran Khan has approached the SC for staying by-polls to the national and provincial assemblies till the EC issues new voters` lists.
In an application filed yesterday, Khan asked the Supreme
Court to direct the Election Commission to suspend its January
27 notification announcing the schedule for the by-polls.
The by-elections are being held for six seats of the
National Assembly or lower house of Parliament and four seats
of the assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
provinces.
Khan claimed the issuance of a notification for polls in
the absence of error-free voters` lists amounted to
disobedience of the apex court`s directive of January 19 to
postpone by-elections until new and verified rolls are
completed.
The ruling had earlier triggered a row between the Supreme
Court and Chief Election Commissioner Hamid Ali Mirza, who
described the order as unconstitutional.
The apex court countered that elections held on unverified
voter lists could not be described as just, fair and in
accordance with the law.
The apex court further said it was obligated to ensure
that all state institutions, including constitutional offices
and authorities, functioned in line with the spirit of law and
the Constitution.
In a separate petition, television anchor Mubasher Lucman
has asked the apex court to order the Election Commission not
to hold elections to 54 seats of the 104-member Senate or
upper house of parliament on March 2.
Lucman alleged that around 70 lawmakers did not hold valid
educational degrees but would be voting to elect new Senators.
PTI