PHC puts ECP on notice in reserved seats case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday put on notice the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)in a petition filed by a woman elected to the National Assembly from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl on the reserved seats.

A two-member bench consisting of Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Syed Arshad Ali heard the petition filed by Member National Assembly-elect Sadaf Ihsan.

Jalal Ahmad Advocate appeared for the petitioner. He told the court that Sadaf Ihsan’s name was present in the priority list submitted by the JUIF to the ECP to secure the seats reserved for women. But later another woman from the JUIF, Hina Bibi, moved the ECP claiming that her name was mentioned in the priority list.

The counsel argued that Sadaf Ihsan had been elected to the assembly on the reserved seats and the ECP had notified her election as well. But the ECP had stopped Sadaf Ihsan from taking oath after receiving an application from Hina Bibi.

Jalal Ahmad Advocate contended that a person once elected on the reserved seats could not be replaced. He requested the court to stop the ECP from taking any action and allow his petitioner to take the oath of office.

The bench sought a reply from the ECP on the next hearing after serving the watchdog with a notice.

It is worth mentioning here that Hina Bibi was in the third position on the priority list submitted by the JUIF to the ECP.

JUFI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has written to the ECP stating that the party had not given the name of Sadaf Ihsan on the priority list.

The ECP restrained Sadaf Ihsan from taking oath as an MNA and fixed the March 26 date for hearing the case.