PHC grants last chance to ECP on Senate polls’ decision in KP

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court while granting last chance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a petition filed by Azam Swati about the conduct of Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and directed it to hold a meeting, make a decision on the matter and inform the court accordingly.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Wiqar Ahmad heard the petition.

Ali Zaman advocate represented Azam Swati, while special secretary of the ECP Mohammad Arshad and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) lawyer Inayatur Rehman advocate were also present in the court.

The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that the petition had been filed for the conduct of Senate elections in light of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The petition called for the holding of elections.

He pleaded that ECP had previously raised the issue of reserved seats, saying that the elections would be held once the issue was resolved. The lawyer pointed out that 11 Senate seats in the province were vacant, and there was no representation.

Upon this, the chief justice inquired, “There is no representation for our province in the Senate?” The special secretary replied that half of the seats were vacant.

Mohammad Arshad informed the court that they would submit their response in the case. He said that they needed more time and that a meeting would be held on this issue.

The chief justice instructed that a decision should be made in that meeting regarding the matter. The chief justice also ordered that the court should be informed about the decision taken in that meeting.

The court also ordered the RCP to submit its response by December 24 and made it clear that no further adjournments would be granted.