Terming it ‘Inapplicable’: federal cabinet rejects Supreme Court’s verdict

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s “unanimous verdict” regarding the case involving the postponement of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was rejected by the federal cabinet on Tuesday.

The cabinet shared the stance at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif where it was of the view that the verdict had been issued by a minority-ruled (3-2) bench, sources said. “The decision is inapplicable and has been issued in contravention of the constitution”, sources added.

The cabinet also vowed to, sources said, raise the matter at different forums.

The decision was announced by a three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and including Justices Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar, during the cabinet meeting that was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The supreme court had reserved its decision on the case a day earlier. The top court of Pakistan announced its decision on a petition brought by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), declaring the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to move the Punjab and KP elections from April 30 to October 8 as “null and void.” The Supreme Court rules that the ECP’s order dated March 22, 2023, is invalid under the Constitution, lacks legal standing or jurisdiction, is null andvoid from the start, has no bearing on law.

“The Supreme Court’s decision is a minority verdict, which is why the cabinet rejects it,” the sources in the federal cabinet said.

The top court’s decision, as per the sources, is not enforceable.

The government would raise its voice in parliament regarding the verdict, the sources added. It was also decided in the meeting that the coalition parties in power will talk about the apex court’s decision in parliament, they added.

In the meeting, the cabinet decided to present its position on the verdict.