LAHORE: PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif has called into question the Supreme Court’s March 1 verdict on the Pun­jab and Khyber Pakht­unkhwa elections, asking why the “4-3 verdict” in the government’s favour was changed to 3-2 against it.

“Before deciding on the elections (in Punjab and KP), this will have to be decided why the verdict of 4-3 judges was changed to 3-2,” she tweeted on Tuesday.

“Without covering the most important point, will any decision be acceptable by forcefully sweeping the decision against the law under the carpet? No way!”

The Supreme Court ruled in the split verdict that elections in Punjab and KP assemblies should be held within 90 days, but it allowed the “barest minimum” delay from the deadline.

The five-member bench — comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muha­mmad Ali Mazhar, Just­ice Munib Akhtar, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Mando­khail — gave the verdict by a 3-2 majority, which the PML-N-led ruling coalition had rejected.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2023