Thatta by-election: ‘As govt nears end, no need for by-election'
By-polls on six seats in Karachi, Thatta and Jamshoro are scheduled for February 18.
PHOTO: APP/FILE
KARACHI:
As the government is due to complete its term on March 16, holding by-elections on February 18 is not only unconstitutional but also wastage of public money.
With this argument, Abdul Hameed Panhwar and two others have gone to the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the election commission’s decision to hold the by-elections in PS-84 Thatta-I. The provincial assembly seat fell vacant after the resignation of MPA Sadiq Memon on November 30, 2012. On January 11, the election commission announced holding the by-election on six vacant seats in Karachi, Thatta and Jamshoro.
However, the process to announce and conduct the by-poll was illegal and unlawful since constitutional provisions had been violated, argued the petitioners’ lawyer, Haq Nawaz Talpur, on Wednesday, as SHC Chief Justice Mushir Alam, heading a division bench, took up the case. “Such election ought to have been held on or before January 21,” argued Talpur. “There will be only four to five weeks for the elected member to serve the people, which will be good for nothing.”
Secondly, the lawyer continued, the election process costs about Rs82 per vote and if the PS-84 has 150,000 registered voters, the total expenses would amount in millions.
They appealed to the court to set aside the election commission’s notification and prevent the authorities from holding “unnecessary” by-polls.
After hearing the initial arguments, the judges directed the election commission, chief election commissioner, provincial election commissioner, provincial chief secretary and inspector general of police to submit their comments by January 24.
Naushero Feroze delimitation
The Sindh election commissioner, joint census commissioner and chief secretary among others were again put on notice on a petition seeking delimitation of National Assembly constituencies in Naushero Feroze.
Murad Ali Shah went to the court asking to redraw voters’ boundaries of NA-211 and NA-212 on the lines of the delimitation of provincial assembly constituencies in the district.
In April last year, the SHC had ordered the election commission to redraw provincial assembly constituencies. In turn, the provincial election commissioner called for proposals and objections from political parties. At the last hearing, the court issued notices to the respondents and directed the petitioner’s lawyer to submit copies of his proposal and reminder. When the matter was taken up on Wednesday, the bench was informed that notices could not be sent to the respondents.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2013.
As the government is due to complete its term on March 16, holding by-elections on February 18 is not only unconstitutional but also wastage of public money.
With this argument, Abdul Hameed Panhwar and two others have gone to the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the election commission’s decision to hold the by-elections in PS-84 Thatta-I. The provincial assembly seat fell vacant after the resignation of MPA Sadiq Memon on November 30, 2012. On January 11, the election commission announced holding the by-election on six vacant seats in Karachi, Thatta and Jamshoro.
However, the process to announce and conduct the by-poll was illegal and unlawful since constitutional provisions had been violated, argued the petitioners’ lawyer, Haq Nawaz Talpur, on Wednesday, as SHC Chief Justice Mushir Alam, heading a division bench, took up the case. “Such election ought to have been held on or before January 21,” argued Talpur. “There will be only four to five weeks for the elected member to serve the people, which will be good for nothing.”
Secondly, the lawyer continued, the election process costs about Rs82 per vote and if the PS-84 has 150,000 registered voters, the total expenses would amount in millions.
They appealed to the court to set aside the election commission’s notification and prevent the authorities from holding “unnecessary” by-polls.
After hearing the initial arguments, the judges directed the election commission, chief election commissioner, provincial election commissioner, provincial chief secretary and inspector general of police to submit their comments by January 24.
Naushero Feroze delimitation
The Sindh election commissioner, joint census commissioner and chief secretary among others were again put on notice on a petition seeking delimitation of National Assembly constituencies in Naushero Feroze.
Murad Ali Shah went to the court asking to redraw voters’ boundaries of NA-211 and NA-212 on the lines of the delimitation of provincial assembly constituencies in the district.
In April last year, the SHC had ordered the election commission to redraw provincial assembly constituencies. In turn, the provincial election commissioner called for proposals and objections from political parties. At the last hearing, the court issued notices to the respondents and directed the petitioner’s lawyer to submit copies of his proposal and reminder. When the matter was taken up on Wednesday, the bench was informed that notices could not be sent to the respondents.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2013.