The Pakistan Supreme Court Wednesday advanced the presidential election by seven days, from Aug 6 to July 30, following the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party's plea that some parliamentarians will be in Mecca during that time.
The Supreme Court gave its ruling on the petition filed by PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, who sought a change in the poll date as many members of parliament would be in Mecca for religious rituals, the Geo News reported.
The Pakistan government endorsed Haq's plea before the apex court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reschedule the upcoming presidential election for July 30.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked Attorney General Munir A. Malik if there existed any constitutional hurdle for rescheduling the election.
The attorney general replied that there was no constitutional bar in holding the presidential election July 30 and Public Representation Act placed no obstruction in the way of the presidential election.
