The Supreme Court has demanded clarifications from the election commission and a group of political parties in a legal dispute over the schedule of the general elections.

A group of 18 political parties sued the commission in January over a plan to hold the elections in June.

In December, the Council of Ministers postponed the polls until 2017, but the parties are still continuing with the case.

They want the court to issue an order stopping the election process until peace is achieved.

At a session today, Chief Justice Chan Reec said the political parties should clarify if they are aware that the Political Parties Council has commenced its work.

“If so, have they submitted their Constitutions to the council, the Political Parties’ Council as required by the provision of section 6(1) of the political parties Act 2012, for registration or re-registration in the Republic of South Sudan?” said Justice Reec.

The Chief Justice also wants the commission to clarify whether the decision by the Council of Ministers to postpone the elections has been cancelled.

“Has the council of Ministers of the Republic of South Sudan or the national Election Commission cancelled the declaration? Have they abandoned the declaration? Have they postponed the declaration or have they extended the declaration?”

The commission and the political parties should present these clarifications to the court before Friday next week.