Election candidates to submit mandatory affidavit along with nomination papers: SC

The Supreme Court, while hearing a case regarding nomination forms on Wednesday, made it mandatory for all candidates contesting in the upcoming general elections to submit an affidavit that would require them to disclose the information omitted in the new forms.

Hearing the petitions against Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict regarding nomination papers, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar clarified that no new nomination papers will be published as it can delay the polls.

A five-member bench, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing the petition filed by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar during today's hearing asked the ECP to draft the affidavits containing columns for the missing information by midnight, reasserting that the court would not allow any delays in the elections scheduled for July 25.

The court further said in its order: "The draft of the aforesaid Affidavit will immediately be put up by the Election Commission of Pakistan on its official website and communicated to all the Returning Officers. Such draft Affidavit would also be publicized by the Election Commission of Pakistan in all the leading newspapers and the public will be informed through the Electronic Media in this behalf."

Later in the day, the apex court approved the affidavit drafted by ECP and asked all aspiring candidates to submit the affidavit with Returning Officers till June 11, 2018.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan also said that an implementation bench would be formed on how to conduct the elections and the court would itself ensure that election rules regarding expenditure and banner sizes are followed.

He noted that the date of scrutiny may have to be extended because of the additional affidavits.