LHC annuls delimitations of Pindi constituencies

RAWALPINDI: Justice Mahmood Ahmad Bhatti of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench here Thursday declared null and void the new de-limitation of union councils in Rawalpindi division for the upcoming local bodies elections and restored the old de-limitation.
Previously while hearing in similar cases, an LHC bench had declared that the de-limitation is something to do by the district government and not by the Election Commission.
This decision would impact the local bodies elections as the election process had to start from October 3 when the candidates were supposed to submit their nomination papers.
LHC bench would issue a detailed judgment in this regard on October 6 and would hear the writ petitions challenging new de-limitation of Wards from October 8.
Additional Advocate General Punjab Rashid Hafeez, Additional Director Law, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Muhammad Arshad Khan and Joint Secretary Ata-ur-Rehman appeared before the court.
The petitioners – former Nazims of the union council Numbal of Murree, Sajid Abbasi and Arshad Nawaz respectively – had challenged the annexation of some parts of this union council into Tarait and Murree city.
Former Nazim of Muree Haroon Abbasi and others had also challenged the de-limitation of Jawa, Ghora Gali and others. There were various other petitions from different parts of the Rawalpindi division including Taxila and Rawalpindi city.
Petitioners through their counsel Raja Shafqat Abbasi advocate had adopted that the ECP while issuing notifications for the new de-limitations did not considered local and geographical conditions. New de-limitation will create hardships for the residents and it has also violated the right of adult franchise of the local people. Petitioners prayed to the court to declare the new de-limitation as null & void as it is against the fundamental rights and constitution of Pakistan.
Court while accepting the petitions issued the said order.
Advocate Raja Shafqat Abbasi while talking to this correspondent told that the de-limitation is not the mandate of ECP and it is instead something to do by the district administration.