Members-elect on reserved seats in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have formally requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to intervene and facilitate their oath-taking process, as the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly has allegedly refused to administer the oath.
In their written application to the ECP, the members have urged the Commission to exercise its constitutional authority and seek the assistance of the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court to administer the oath under Article 255(2) of the Constitution.
The issue arose after the Speaker failed to convene an assembly session to swear in members elected on reserved seats for women and minorities. Despite a formal letter from the opposition urging immediate action, no steps were taken by the Speaker, prompting the members-elect to approach the ECP.
According to the letter, following the Supreme Court's verdict, the ECP had already issued notifications confirming the success of candidates on the reserved seats. However, the delay in administering their oaths has left the assembly incomplete, which in turn is obstructing the Senate election process.
The ECP has announced July 21 as the date for the Senate elections, but the members argue that without their oaths, the electoral college for the Senate polls remains incomplete. They have requested that their oaths be ensured before July 21 so that the assembly is fully constituted and the Senate elections can be held on schedule.
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