LHC serves notice to ECP over delaying notification on reserved seats

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan for not notifying the names of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidates on reserved seats vacated following the de-seating of the party lawmakers for voting in favour of Hamza Shahbaz during the chief minister Punjab’s election, ARY NEWS reported.

Chief Justice LHC led the proceedings on the PTI plea and served notices to the ECP after PTI counsel said that they had provided names of the candidates to be notified on reserved seats.

The court adjourned the hearing for Tuesday (tomorrow).

It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has approached Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for delaying notification for the success of five PTI MPAs on reserved seats in Punjab after they fell vacant over the disqualification of dissident party lawmakers in Punjab Assembly.

The petition filed through Advocate Azhar Siddique pleaded that the ECP had de-seated five members on reserved seats for changing their loyalties and the commission is now constitutionally bound to notify other members of the party.

It said that the ECP has been asked to notify the members in a written letter but no progress has been made so far. “The ECP is a violation of the Constitution and the court should intervene and direct it to notify new members on the reserved seats,” he said.