Punjab Assembly reserved seats: LHC directs ECP to file reply in 10 days

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to file a reply over refusing a notification for reserved seats which got vacated after the latter de-seated them for voting in favour of Shehbaz Sharif during chief minister Punjab’s election, ARY NEWS reported.

The court headed by Justice Shujaat Ali Khan directed the ECP to file a reply within 10 days after a lawyer representing the government also sought time for submitting a response.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition in Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruling which stayed the notification of new MPAs on Punjab reserved seats.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had stayed the notification of new MPAs on five seats of the Punjab Assembly till the by-elections.

A five-member ECP bench – headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) – announced the verdict. The decision was announced in light of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) directives to dispose of the matter by June 2.

A petition filed by PTI MPA Zainab Umar stated that ECP verdict on Punjab Assembly reserved seats is against the Constitution and law. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), ECP and others were respondents in the plea.

The petitioner pleaded with the court to declare the ECP ruling on reserved seats null and void.