By-elections: PHC suspends ECP’s notification on Upper Dir polls

Petitioner says that conducting by-elections under amended local govt act of K-P violates Article 247 of Constitution

PESHAWAR: The two-member division bench of Peshawar High Court, comprising Justice Qaiser Rashid and Justice Roohul Amin, suspended the notification issued by Election Commission of Pakistan for holding local body by-elections in Wari tehsil of Upper Dir district.

The bench was hearing a writ petition on Monday submitted by candidates for tehsil nazim and naib nazim.

Earlier, the election commission issued a notification to conduct by-elections of local bodies which were scheduled to be held on August 16 (today).

The petitioners told the court that conducting by-elections under the amended local government act of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa violates Article 247 of the Constitution of Pakistan which has provided separate status to the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas.

The bench cancelled the notification and sought reply from the election commission. The case has been adjourned until next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2016.