Delimitation of constituencies: Apex court admits MQM’s review petition

MQM had filed two petitions insisting that fresh delimitation could only take place if there was a fresh census.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court admitted on Wednesday a petition filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against the court’s November 26, 2012 order calling for fresh delimitation of constituencies in Karachi.

A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, admitted the MQM’s petition for regular hearing and dismissed a few objections raised earlier by the Registrar Office.

On December 25, last year, MQM’s parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar had filed two petitions against the court’s order, insisting that fresh delimitation could only take place if there was a fresh census.

The review petition had pointed out that the Supreme Court could not interfere with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) discretion. The court had rejected the commission’ confirmation on October 24 that delimitation in Karachi could not take place without a fresh census.

Farogh Nasim, counsel for the MQM, said they were not aggrieved by the main decision of the court in the Karachi law and order case but wanted a review of the November 26 order by another bench.

In its second petition, the MQM demanded that the court order on the preparations of voters’ lists be put in place for the entire country. The petitioner pleaded the court to grant a stay against its November 26 and 28 orders till a final decision on the review petition.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.