Disqualification case: ECP directs Faisal Vawda to submit reply till Oct 8

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday directed Federal Minister Faisal Vawda to submit a written reply to the disqualification petitions, as his

lawyer questioned the jurisdiction with regards to hearing of the petitions.

A three-member bench of the ECP, headed by Justice Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi, heard the Faisal Vawda disqualification case in which the petitioner's counsel argued that Faisal Vawda lied in the affidavit given to the Returning Officer for no proof of cancellation was given.

On this occasion, the minister’s lawyer said that under Article 225, the election-related issue could be raised only through an election petition, the petitioners should have gone to the election tribunal.

To this, the Punjab member in the commission told Vawda's lawyer that he has not yet submitted a detailed reply to the petitions, submit a written reply before October 8 and then it would be seen if the petition was admissible or not.

However, in a new development, Vawda's lawyer objected to the jurisdiction of the Election Commission that the reference should have been sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

According to several court decisions, the Election Commission is an executive body and not a court. He contended that the commission should first give its decision regarding the admissibility of the petitions. Later, the Election Commission directed the minister to submit a written reply to the disqualification petitions before October 08.