JI wants more amendments in Election Act 2017

Islamabad: The parliamentarians of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have submitted the Election Act (Amendment Bill) 2017 for inclusion of Section 7B and 7C of the Conduct of General Elections Order 2002 relating to Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (SAW) in the Election Act 2017 with the National Assembly Secretariat.

The amendment bill seeking amendment in the Election Act 2017 with the National Assembly Secretariat by JI parliamentary leader Sahibzada Tariqullah and other members including Sahibzada Muhammad Yaqoob, Sher Akbar Khan and Ayesha Syed.

The JI members while submitting the amendment bill said the oath relating to Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (SAW) was restored in original form but Sections 7B and 7C were not made part of the Election Act 2017.

They said that non-inclusion of these provision which envisaged unchanged status of Qadianis or who calls themselves as Ahmadis or Lahoris as per 1973 Constitution. The 7B says: Notwithstanding anything contained in the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974 (XXI of 1974), the Electoral Rolls, Rules, 1974, or any other law for the time being in force, including the Forms prescribed for preparation of electoral rolls on joint electorate basis in pursuance of Article 7 of the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 (Chief Executive's Order No. 7 of 2002), the status of Quadiani Group or the Lahori Group (who call themselves `Ahmadis' or by any other name) or a person who does not believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last of the prophets or claimed or claims to be a Prophet, in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever, after Muhammad (peace be upon him) or recognises such a claimant as a prophet or religious reformer shall remain the same as provided in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.

7C. If a person has got himself enrolled as voter and objection is filed before the Revising Authority notified under the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974, within ten days from issuance of the Conduct of General Elections (Second Amendment) Order, 2002, that such a voter is not a Muslim, the Revising Authority shall issue a notice to him to appear before it within fifteen days and require him to sign a declaration regarding his belief about the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhamamd (peace be upon him) in Form-IV prescribed under the Electoral Rolls Rules, 1974. In case he refuses to sign the declaration as aforesaid, he shall be deemed to be a non-Muslim and his name shall be deleted from the joint electoral rolls and added to a supplementary list of voters in the same electoral area as non-Muslim. In case the voter does not turn up in spite of service of notice, an ex-parte order may be passed against him.