Election authorities on Monday restored the membership of 25 lawmakers only after they had submitted their annual statements of assets and liabilities with the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Among these reinstated members eight belonged to National Assembly, 12 from Punjab Assembly, one each from Sindh and Balochistan assemblies and two from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
ECP under Section 42 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, had suspended the membership of those lawmakers who had failed to submit the statements of their assets by September 30.
Though the law stipulated September 30 as last date for filing yearly statements of assets and liabilities, ECP kept on receiving these statements. On October 15, ECP had moved to suspend membership of 209 parliamentarians over their failure to submit details of their assets.
Despite being termed mandatory, the consequences for failing to comply with the law carry no major punitive measure.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2014.
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