No notice of any PTI MNA resignation received: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Monday said it had not yet received any notification of resignation by any Member of the National Assembly, adding action would be taken only after receiving the notification.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over a meeting at the ECP Secretariat, and besides two members of the commission, the secretary and other senior officers also attended. Soon after the PTI government was sent packing, the party had sent resignations of 123 MNAs to the National Assembly Speaker who is yet to decide their fate.

The meeting considered the letter written by PTI Chairman Imran Khan to the ECP in which he had said that the party had resigned from all seats in the National Assembly and there was no representation of it in the assembly. “A case against the dissidents has been sent to the ECP under Article 63A of the Constitution,” the letter added.

However, the ECP contended that according to the law, it had not received any notification of resignation of any member from the Speaker. “Action will be taken according to the law upon receipt of the case,” it added.

Moreover, the ECP has issued notices to all Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies against whom the declaration under Article 63A has been received by the Speakers of National and Provincial Assemblies. Notices have been issued to the MNAs for April 28.

The former National Assembly deputy speaker had sent the reference against PTI's 20 ‘dissident’ MNAs to issued to the MNAs for April 28. The former National Assembly deputy speaker had sent the reference against PTI's 20 ‘dissident’ MNAs to the ECP. However, they did not take part in voting in the no-trust motion and hence, apparently, there is hardly any possibility of action against them.

Similarly, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had also sent a similar case to the ECP against some 26 ‘dissident’ members for action. Notices have been issued to the members to hear their cases for May 6. The ECP has also issued notices to the PTI.

The meeting on Imran’s letter was held as the PTI has planned demonstrations outside the ECP Secretariat and its district offices across the country against the alleged “biased” attitude of the chief election commissioner on April 26.

Meanwhile, President Arif Alvi has cited a letter written to him by Punjab Governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema as a reason for not designating a person for the oath-taking of Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz. Responding to a letter by the Prime Minister’s Office, which asked the President to designate a person for the swearing-in or face contempt of court proceedings, the President said, “The Punjab governor’s letter is self-explanatory.”

According to the Punjab governor, the resignation of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was controversial. “The Lahore High Court ordered me to inform in writing of reasons for not taking the oath. I don’t think it is right to order this. The court had directed the deputy speaker to ensure a transparent and fair election, but he did not elect the Chief Minister fairly. He elected the Chief Minister in an unjust, non-transparent and unfair manner. The process of selection of the Chief Minister has no constitutional, legal status.”