Pakistan’s Supreme Court declares poll delay “unconstitutional”

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has declared the poll panel’s decision to delay assembly election in two provinces as “unconstitutional”.

The top court on Tuesday ordered government to hold snap polls in the most populous province of Punjab on May 14.

Tuesday’s meeting of the top court judges followed a petition filed by the main opposition Pakistan, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Khan’s party had challenged Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay the Punjab polls after the government refused to give funds to conduct the exercise citing the economic crisis.

Pakistan historically holds the national and provincial elections together but the ECP is also bound by the constitution to hold elections within 90 days of the dissolution of a legislative assembly.