ECP reinstates 32 PTI MNAs in Punjab

Electoral watchdog declares six seats won by Imran vacant

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE ':

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday revoked the de-notification of 32 PTI MNAs, stopping the by-elections on 27 general seats of the National Assembly in Punjab – in line with the orders of the Lahore High Court.

However, the commission declared six seats won by PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan vacant. The electoral watchdog reinstated the 27 PTI MNAs, who had tendered their resignations in April last year, in these constituencies.

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Besides, it also reinstated five reserved-seat female MNAs – Aliya Hamza Malik, Kanwal Shauzab, Andleeb Abbas, Asma Hadeed and Maleeka Ali Bokhari – from the province.

The 27 constituencies of Punjab, where by-elections would not be held, included NA-57 Rawalpindi-l, NA-59 Rawalpindi-Ill, NA-60 Rawalpindi-IV, NA-61 Rawalpindi-V, NA-62 Rawalpindi-V, NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII, NA-67 Jhehlum-II, NA-70 Gujrat-III, NA-87 Hafizabad-l, NA-93 Khushab-l, NA-96 Mianwali-l, NA-97 Bhakkar-l, NA-107 Faisalabad-VII, NA-109 Faisalabad-IX, NA-126 Lahore-IV, NA-130 Lahore-VIII, NA-135 Lahore-XIII, NA-150 Khanewal-l, NA-152 Khanewal-III, NA-155 Multan-II, NA-156 Multan-III, NA-158 Multan-V, NA-164 Vehari-III, NA-165 Vehari-IV, NA-177 Rahim Yar Khan-III, NA-187 Layyah-l, and NA-191 DG Khan-III.

Also read: LHC bars by-polls on 43 PTI MNAs’ seats

However, the ECP announced that the by-elections for NA-52 Rawalpindi-I, NA-53 Rawalpindi-II, and NA-54 Rawalpindi-III would go ahead as scheduled on March 16 as these constituencies fell under the domain of the federal capital.

Earlier this month, the LHC had suspended the ECP’s order of de-notifying 43 PTI MNAs, restraining it from holding by-elections in their constituencies.

The court had also suspended the National Assembly speaker’s decision under which the resignations of the former ruling party’s lawmakers were accepted, seeking his response as well as that of the ECP.

However, the LHC did not issue a stay order against the speaker’s decision and observed that the matter would be taken up on March 7 when the court was set to hear the main petition.

That is why despite the ECP reinstating the PTI MNAs, they cannot return to the House until the court decides the matter on March 7.

During the proceedings on February 8, LHC’s Justice Shahid Karim heard a petition filed by the 43 PTI MNAs, requesting the court to set aside two notifications – one, whereby the NA speaker accepted their resignations and the other, whereby the ECP de-notified them.

The petitioners’ counsel, Barrister Ali Zafar, argued that the PTI lawmakers had already withdrawn their resignations before the NA speaker accepted them.

Zafar contended that the acceptance of resignations without applying a legal framework was tantamount to making “mockery” of the rules set by the Supreme Court which proved “mala fide” on the part of the speaker.

The speaker did not bother to summon the MNAs individually to know their stance that whether or not they willingly tendered their resignations, he argued.

Also read: ECP decides to notify Imran's win on 7 NA seats

The counsel maintained that the speaker had initially stated that he would call the lawmakers in individual capacity but later deviated from his position.

Zafar maintained that the actions of the speaker and the ECP were illegal and unlawful.

Separately, the ECP declared six seats won by the PTI chairman vacant.

They include NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-Il, and NA-239 Korangi Karachi-l.