No one will be allowed to delay elections: CJP

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that no delay in elections would be allowed even for a single day.

He passed the remarks while presiding over a three-member SC bench hearing the electoral reforms case on Thursday.

Munir Paracha appeared on behalf of the Election Commission (ECP) while Attorney General (AG) Irfan Qadir represented federation in the court.

The ECP presented a report with reference to electoral reforms and filed the new nomination forms in the court.

The AG told the court he had contacted law secretary a night before with regard to amendments in the nomination form and other legislation and he had told that the matter was lying with the Senate special committee.

“I contacted the ECP but it did not give any reply and now the ECP has printed new nomination forms. What can we do next?”

Paracha said the caretaker government would be able to do anything with respect to new amendments. The president would have to promulgate an ordinance.

“The ECP has been constrained to do what it is doing”.

The court remarked that the ECP wielded a lot of powers under the law and the constitution and it could do a lot on its own if it wanted.

The AG said a wrong step might devastate the entire election.

The CJP said, “Has someone the courage to prevent election? We will not allow election to be delayed even for a single day. It is essential that honest and fair people should go to parliament through election. Several members of previous assembly are facing charges of drug trafficking. There is a need that democratic system is fortified in this country. Over 180 million people want electoral reforms.”

He added that “national interest should be more important to the president than the interest of his party. The ECP can reform itself even if no court decision is there”.

The CJP said the people should know that candidates of their respective constituency have not been involved in any heinous crime.

“The real representative is one who the voters of constituency trust. How can a person who bags only eight percent votes become public representative? We want endeavours made so that no criminal goes to parliament,” he added.

The AG said if the court issued orders against new nomination forms, the election could be delayed.

The bench then said, “We will not allow any one to do so (delay polls).”

The CJP observed that the ECP could do all things on its own under powers vested in it by the law and constitution.

“The ECP is implementing court’s decision. The court has already made interpretations with regard to electoral reforms in its decision.”

The hearing was adjourned until today (Friday).