A three-member bench of the Supreme Court took up petitions calling for general elections in the country to be held within the constitutionally mandated 90 days, with Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarking that the case would have been decided if fixed on time.

The bench, led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, includes Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah.

Justice Isa made the remarks while replying to Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Zuberi argued that the latest census results should be nullified. The CJP also said that the case was of immediate importance.

When asked when the previous census was held, Zuberi said that it was held in 2017. However, the CJP replied that the census was provisional.

He then asked if the 2017 census had been declared valid for next elections to take place. He also asked Zuberi if he wanted elections should be held on the old census.

Zuberi said that the excuse of new delimitations due to the new census could not be used as a reason to delay the election.

However, Justice Isa remarked that if Zuberi’s proposition was accepted, it would lead to further delay in election.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawyer Ali Zafar appeared in the proceedings via video link. However, the CJP said Zafar’s petition was related to objections raised by the Registrar Office which should have been heard in the chamber.

Elections had to be pushed beyond the 90-day limit after the outgoing government approved the results of the latest census. With new delimitations required, the Election Commission said that the polls would be held towards the end of January.

This story is being updated.