PPP leader says Election Bill 2017 in clash with Constitution

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Latif Khosa has said one clause of the Election Bill 2017, that allows an individual disqualified to be member of the parliament or to hold office of a political party, was clearly in clash with the Constitution of Pakistan.

“If a bill is in collision with any Article of the Constitution, it would be deemed invalid. And Articles 62 and 63 in the Constitution could not be amended through a bill,” he said talking to ARY News program 11^th Hour.

On Monday, President Mamnoon Hussain signed the controversial Election Act 2017, commonly known as Electoral Reforms Bill, into law after it was rushed through the National Assembly amid vociferous opposition from the opposition parties.

Latif Khosa stressed that it was not an amendment in the Constitution, but it was a bill which had become a new law after passing through all the legal procedures. He said if any such controversial bill was passed, it could be contested in the Supreme Court or a high court.

To a query, he said the PPP had to still consult the party leaders on the matter, but as for his personal opinion they must approach court in this regard to convince that all had consensus against the bill and the bill should not be considered to be in accordance with the wishes of people of Pakistan.

Read More: PTI senators served notices for staying away from voting for election bill

“They surely passed the bill in the assembly on the basis of their edge in numbers, while in the Senate it was completely a legislative fraud,” he said.

“The clauses mentioned in document of the bill were not passed by the committee, so it is a fraud,” he elaborated.