The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the printing of official ballots for the May 2025 polls halted after the Supreme Court issued five temporary restraining orders to declare two aspirants as nuisance bets, disqualify two others, and refusing to receive the Certificate of Candidacy of another.

The High Court also ordered the Comelec to file their comments on the five cases.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Comelec announced the immediate stoppage of the ballot printing which began on January 6.

"While the Comelec has yet to officially receive its copies of the subject TROs, we commit to do everything to comply with said Orders," the poll body said.

A total of 73 million official ballots for the May 2025 national and local and Bangsamoro parliamentary polls are targeted to be printed by April 14.

The Comelec said the public should not be alarmed.

"We inform the public that while delay is also a necessary consequence, please note that there is no cause for alarm, concern, or panic, as the Comelec is fully in control of the situation and will effect the necessary contingency measures to mitigate such," said the Comelec. DMS