"Pak govt may move SC against by-poll delay"

Islamabad, May 6 : The Pakistan government may move the country's Supreme Court against the Election Commission (EC)'s decision to postpone the by-elections scheduled for June 18 to August 18, the country's Information Minister Sherry Rehman said here last evening.

She said that EC had no mandate to postpone the by-polls without consulting the ruling alliance, and all political parties, and presenting them with viable justification. "The move would not be tolerated at any cost. Not only will we take action against EC's move, we will also hold an inquiry in this regard," the Daily Times quoted her as saying.

She alleged that the move was a "well-planned conspiracy" to divide democratic forces. "Undemocratic forces are attempting to dominate over the democratic forces," she said and added that every such attempt would be thwarted.

She also announced that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif would soon hold a round of consultations on the EC's move.

Earlier, PML-N leader and noted lawyer Syed Zafar Ali Shah termed the EC's move as "illegal, unconstitutional and contrary to democratic norms". He said the action was a sheer violation of the Constitution and all election regulations, as the holding of by-elections for an empty seat of national or provincial assemblies was mandatory.

ANI