LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide the matter of five reserved seats in the Punjab Assembly by June 02.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP, on May 23, had de-notified the 25 PTI MPAs that it had de-seated over defection from the party on May 20. As many as 20 out of 25 dissidents were elected from different constituencies, three were elected on seats reserved for women and two were elected on seats reserved for non-Muslims.
On May 28, the PTI moved the high court seeking orders for the ECP to notify new MPAs on reserved seats in the Punjab Assembly. After hearing arguments from the PML-N and the PTI today, the LHC ordered the Election Commission to decide the matter till June 2.
During today’s proceedings, the PTI’s counsel maintained that the ECP is deliberately delaying the matter.
At this, LHC Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti asked, “Why aren’t you processing [the matter]?
He directed the ECP to decide even if no party appears before it.
To this, the ECP’s counsel apprised the court that the election body was processing the matter. The lawyer said that the PTI has filed an application to notify new MPAs on the reserved seats while PML-N requested not to notify.
The PTI is of the view that all the five reserved seats be given to them while the PML-N maintains that the notifications in this regard should be issued after the by-elections on the vacant seats and as per the new party position in the House.
Meanwhile, the ECP has set June 2 as a date to hear the pleas of PML-N and PTI about notifying five new MPAs on reserved seats in the Punjab Assembly.
A three-member bench of the ECP headed by the chief election commissioner will hear the pleas. Meanwhile, notices have been issued to PTI and PML-N.