The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment in election campaign spending case after completion of hearing on Friday.
Heading a three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) hearing a case on electoral reforms filed by president of Workers Party Pakistan Abid Hasan Minto, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been reduced to a post office.
Minto’s petition also sought to curtail the money spent by political parties on election campaigns. No candidate has ever been probed for over-spending in the polls.
Justice Chaudhry further said Election Commission is responsible for the delay being made in holding of local bodies elections.
When asked, provinces present non-preparation of electoral lists as an excuse to delay the holding of LB elections, the court said.
Justice Tariq Pervez questioned how the commission could claim to be free.
The court also expressed annoyance over the absence of EC’s joint secretary. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said the poor of the country were running this country while the rich and mighty living in expensive neighborhoods were selfish.
Deputy Attorney General told the court that the laws were in place and it was only a matter of implementing them.