Islamabad: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has approached the Supreme Court for staying by-elections to the national and provincial assemblies scheduled for February 25 till the Election Commission 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