SC restores Aam Log Ittehad party, sets aside ECP order

Karachi: Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order of cancellation of the registration of the Aam Log Ittehad as a political party.

The direction came on petition of Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed who impugned the action of ECP and challenged the vires of Election Act about the registration of the political parties.

The petitioner submitted that he had fulfilled all the codal formalities for the registration of the political party before the Election Commission but the ECP delisted the party without any reasons. He submitted that certain sections of the Election Act about the registration of political party are ultra vires the Constitution and liable to be struck down.

The SC’s three member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that the ECP did not pass any speaking order about the cancellation of the registration of the petitioner's party besides he was not given the opportunity of a proper hearing. Allowing the petition, the court allowed the ECP order to be set aside.