Election Committee of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday stayed notice of new legislators on five places of Punjab Assembly reserved for women and minorities after they became vacant after deposition of 25 dissident PTI legislators.
five persons bench announced the ruling that was previously reserved, in line with directives from the Lahore High Court (LHC).
Last month, 25 dissident PTI MPs were ousted. for vote for Hamza Shehbaz of PML-N in chief of the Punjab ministerelections. PTI filed a petition in TANK on May 28, asking to instruct the ECP to notify five new MOE and “challenge [them] personally.” Subsequently, the Supreme Court gave the ECP a deadline for June 2 to decide on cause.
election watcher, in this is decision on Thursday said the notice would be put on hold pending by-elections. it also rejected the PTI and PML-N petitions.
Earlier during the hearings at KEK on On Thursday, PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said the incumbent government in Punjab does not have a majority and therefore does not deserve rule.
He said that CEP should “immediately” issue notifications for new MPA on reserved seats and argued that, in accordance with the Constitution new MRA will be from the same party the previous ones were taken off.
PML-N counsel Khalid Ishaq argued that the point was that of “first impression” and principle of proportional representation cannot be ignored.
He asked the electoral commission to notify new MPA in conformity with in current proportion in Punjab Assembly.
For his part, the Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Awsaf argued that the principle of proportional representation cannot be applied until the Assembly is “complete”.
“twenty of PTI seats were reduced, after which they cannot have the same proportion. Nobody can tell which party will be successful in by-elections”.
Usaf said it would be “more appropriate,” if the ESP had waited for the by-election.
