PHC issues notice to AG in reserved seats oath case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing into a writ petition seeking the administration of oath to members elected on reserved seats, while issuing a notice to the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit a response.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Farah Jamshed heard the case. At the outset, the petitioners’ counsel Aamir Javed informed the court that although members elected on reserved seats had been notified, they had not yet administered the oath.

At this point, Justice Sahibzada Asadullah remarked that the Constitution now empowers the chief justice to direct anyone to administer the oath, as per recent amendments.

Justice Sahibzada Asadullah observed that the matter had not yet reached the threshold under Article 255(2), but the petitioner’s counsel disagreed, arguing that the speaker’s refusal to administer the oath had already brought the matter to that stage. The bench issued a notice to the advocate general. In response, he stated that the chief minister would requisition the assembly session through the governor and that the matter was also under consideration by the ECP. He added that they had not yet received the ECP’s letter, and that the chief minister had not refused to comply.

The court subsequently adjourned the hearing until today (Wednesday) and directed the advocate general to submit a response.