The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to submit a petition to the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order that suspended the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy.

This development follows the ECP’s pause of a training session for ROs and DROs, raising concerns about the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, 2023. The LHC order, prompted by a petition from the PTI, has created uncertainty about the election schedule.

Major political parties, including PPP, PML-N, and BAP, have chosen to become parties in the case being heard by the LHC, expressing their commitment to ensuring timely elections. The controversy revolves around the appointment of bureaucrats as ROs and DROs, with the PTI advocating for appointments from the lower judiciary.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary, Omar Hamid Khan, has announced that the ECP will file a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order that suspended the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy.

This move comes in response to the LHC order, issued on a petition by the PTI, which led to the pause of a training session for ROs and DROs, raising concerns about the scheduled general elections on February 8, 2023. The LHC order has created uncertainty regarding the election schedule, prompting major political parties, including PPP, PML-N, and BAP, to become parties in the case.

The controversy centers on the appointment of bureaucrats as ROs and DROs, with the PTI advocating for appointments from the lower judiciary.