ISLAMABAD: In a significant setback for the PTI, the Supreme Court on Thursday returned its petition seeking nationwide elections in the country within 90 days with objections.

The petition also requested the apex court to order the ECP to issue a schedule accordingly, besides the governors of all four provinces be directed to announce the date of elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the respective assemblies, or in accordance with the SC judgement in the Punjab Assembly election case.

The petitioner pleaded that the Aug 5 decision of the CCI, in which the digital census was approved, and the notification in which the 2023 census was published, should both be declared illegal. Outlining objections to the PTI’s petition, the SC registrar highlighted the petitioners’ failure to specify what questions of public importance pertained to fundamental rights.

The petition also lacked the ingredients for invoking jurisdiction under Article 184(3) of the Constitution. Moreover, the petitioners had not approached any other appropriate forum before filing the matter in SC and had not provided any justification for moving the apex court.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2023