The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to accept a request of the Election Commission seeking time over completion of electoral lists beyond February 23.

A four-Judge bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani on constitutional petitions moved by Pakistan Tahrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and another and 2007 pending plea of PPP late chairperson Benazir Bhutto, directed the concerned authorities to complete the exercise and submit a compliance report by February 22.

The bench observed that holding of free, fair and transparent elections were linked to true democratic system which could be possible only through authentic voters' lists.

ECP joint secretary Shair Afgan apprised the bench that they had expedited the process and sought extension in the deadline.

The Chief Justice questioned what the ECP was doing from the year 2007 when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had moved a petition.

Expressing his displeasure, he remarked that it was the responsibility of the ECP to complete the process within time.

"Do you want that prepared and completed lists should be handed over to you. You have immense work force and had enough time. If the lists were not prepared till February 23, the law would take its own course" he told ECP joint secretary.

He said that the Court could not grant further time and warned that people who were creating hurdles in completion of the process should realize that the Court had issued clear directions over the issue.

Justice Khilji Arif Hussain observed that ECP should have electoral lists with it as elections would be held in the country. Hamid Khan, counsel for Imran Khan, said that ECP was of the view that it could complete the process in May and it was not possible for them to finalize the process before the stipulated period of time.

The general manager NADRA apprised the bench that they had devised mechanism to verify voters' lists and they were bound by the judicial order.

The Chief Justice appreciated NADRA and said that it had stopped all other tasks and was busy in verification process. Hamid Khan further said that the ECP was not constitutionally mandated to hold by-elections on 27 seats of parliament and provincial assemblies after passage of 18th Amendment due to its formation which was not constitutional.

He apprised that out of these 27 seats, 3 were elected on Senate seats, 9 on National Assembly seats, 2 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, 9 in Sindh assembly, and one from Balochistan assembly.

The Chief Justice also observed that the ECP report wrongly quoted the apex Court's verdict and explained that the Court had not verified steps of former dictator through its suo motu jurisdiction.

The bench repeated notices upon these members of assemblies and adjourned further hearing till January 19.