ECP summons Sindh MPA over horse-trading charges in Senate poll

ISLAMABAD: In an interesting development, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday summoned MPA Sindh Assembly Taimur Talpur on October 04 along with evidence of horse-trading in Senate election early this year.

A notice issued to him by the Election Commission said that the Election Commission had taken serious notice of his speech made in the House on September 27, making allegations of rigging in the Senate election, which was widely aired and reported by the media.

The Election Commission, through the notice, asked the legislator to appear in person or through counsel before the Election Commission on October 4 at 10:00 am along with relevant documents to substantiate his claim/ assertion he made in his speech, failing which the matter will be decided in his absence.

Meanwhile, a meeting to review preparations for by-elections for 37 National and Provincial Assemblies was held here at the Election Commission Secretariat with Chief Election Commissioner Justice ® Sardar Muhammad Raza in the chair. However, the most important topic that was deliberated upon during the meeting was to create commensuration between the Elections Act, 2017 and the local governments’ laws of the provinces. And, to address possible difficulties in holding Local Bodies polls and also the matter relating to new statistical bloc scheme and electoral rolls under the new act were also discussed threadbare.