The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a rejoinder from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Workers' Party Pakistan (WPP) in response to Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) reply over a matter of voters' thumb verification in four constituencies of the country.
A three-member bench, led by the Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, resumed the hearing of pleas filed by the PTI and the WPP and expressed concern over non-observance of the apex court's verdict relating to electoral reforms. Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh remarked that the court had announced a hallmark decision on electoral reforms in response to a WPP petition, saying the result of non-implementation of reforms on court's directives could be witnessed by all sundry.
Secretary ECP Ishtiaq Ahmed was summoned by the court to explain delay in verification of thumb impressions case. During proceedings, the counsel for the ECP, Munir Paracha, and Secretary of the Commission apprised the court that they have already filed a reply in the current matter but due to some clerical mistakes the same could not be brought before the bench during the course of hearing. However, the bench asked the ECP to supply the copies of their reply to all the parties of the case and directed the PTI and the WPP to submit a rejoinder in the matter. The hearing of case was adjourned till October 13.