The petition maintained that the Lahore High Court, in its February 10 verdict, had remarked that elections should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly.
The petitioner has made the federal government, President Arif Alvi, the Punjab governor, and the caretaker governments respondents in the case.
The petition stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was unwilling to announce a date for polls despite the court orders. The petitioner requested the court issue an order under Article 48, 58 and 224 of the Constitution and Section 57 of the Election Act for President Arif Alvi to announce a date for elections as the Election Commission of Pakistan was not fulfilling its duties.
The petition also sought disciplinary action against the Punjab governor and the Election Commission of Pakistan for disregarding the court order.
On February 10, the Lahore High Court had ordered the electoral watchdog to hold elections in Punjab within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly. Lahore High Court Justice Jawad Hassan pronounced the reserved verdict on the plea filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking orders for the Punjab governor to immediately announce the Punjab poll date.
The Punjab assembly was dissolved on January 14, soon after Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi advised Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman to dissolve the provincial assembly.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has been under increasing pressure to announce the date of elections, most notably from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and, more recently, President Dr Arif Alvi, who urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue the election schedule for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assemblies as soon as possible.