IHC dismisses 23 petitions against delimitations

ISLAMABAD: Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed 23 petitions against delimitations of constituencies from different districts across the country. The IHC bench dismissing these 23 petitions upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s notification in this regard.

The IHC allowed only one petition to the extent of District Kharan in Balochistan as the IHC bench Wednesday had set aside the delimitation of this district and this was another petition from the same district. The IHC bench reserved its order in the petition challenging delimitation of district Abbotabad.

IHC Justice Farooq remarked that the court would not allow any delay in the general elections. It directed all the petitioners to appear before ECP on June 4.

All 23 petitions that were dismissed had been challenging the delimitations of 10 constituencies of districts Bhakkar, Batgram, Karachi, Islamabad, Leyyah, Mandi Bahauddin, Mirpur Khas and Sargodha.

Petitions were dismissed the petitions after hearing arguments of the petitioners and the ECP as well.

The same IHC bench would now hear petitions challenging delimitation of eight constituencies Friday.

On Wednesday, the IHC bench set aside the delimitation of six constituencies of districts Bahawalpur, Kharan, Ghotki, Sheikhupura, Haripur and Kasur as void and sent these cases back to the ECP for rehearing.

On May 29, IHC bench declared void the delimitations of four districts constituencies including Toba Tek Singh, Lower Dir, Jhang and Jhelum and remanded back these cases to ECP for re-adjudication.

On Wednesday IHC bench upheld ECP’s delimitation decision regarding Chiniot, Khanewal, Gujranwala, Umerkot, Sialkot, Jacobabad, Rahimyar Khan, Chakwal, Bannu, Kurrum Agency, Swabi, Mansehra and Rajanpur districts and rejected petitions against these.

As per Delimitation of Constituencies Act, 1974, the government is to do fresh delimitation after every census. After 2017 census, ECP had done new delimitations of national and provincial assemblies. Many of the political parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan People’s Party through 108 petitions challenged the new delimitation of which the IHC bench has already declared 10 as void.

Petitioners contended that the poll-supervisory body has done delimitation on political grounds and these should be set aside as standard procedures were not followed in the delimitation of the constituencies.

IHC bench while deciding the applications said that the rules for proportion of population should be equally applied in all districts.