By Justice Markandey Katju-
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman, Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own)
As a former Judge of the Indian Supreme Court, I am deeply disappointed by the behavior of the 5-judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court hearing the petition against the postponement of the Punjab elections to 8th October.
An earlier Supreme Court 5 judge bench had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to fix the date of elections, and the ECP had fixed it for 30th April, which had been announced by Pakistan President Arif Alvi.
However, citing security and other reasons the ECP has now postponed the elections to 8th October.
To my mind the reasons for postponement are specious. Pakistan has an army and police to ensure security during elections.
The real reason is evidently the fact that all indications are that the PTI will sweep the polls if elections are held on schedule on 30th April, and there are forces in Pakistan, apart from the PDM, which do not want this, as I have mentioned in the article below.
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/2023/03/29/the-pakistan-constitution-is-not-being-taken-seriously/
The Pakistan Supreme Court hearing the petition of the PTI should have stuck to its earlier verdict, and reiterated that Punjab elections must be held on 30th April. But instead it appears to be playing to the galleries, and has permitted long-winded arguments about the feasibility of holding elections on 30th April.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjmkhHAg400
The hearing of the case is still going on, and it has been reduced to a drama and a farce by the court and the lawyers opposing the petition.
I regret to say this, but the Court and the hearing have become a laughing stock. Had I been a judge hearing the case I would have disposed it off in 5 minutes holding that the elections must be held on 30th April, as held earlier by the Court, come what may, and the security forces will ensure that they are conducted in an orderly manner.
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/2023/03/29/judicial-interventions-in-political-system-must-end/
