Under-fire ECP meets today to seek legal view

ISLAMABAD: Noting that the situation has changed after the announcement of a detailed judgment of the Supreme Court (SC), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will meet on Tuesday and seek opinion of a legal expert.

A senior official of the ECP told The News that the electoral body had an initial meeting on the new development Monday, having changed the ‘landscape’ entirely. It was decided, he pointed out, to have further deliberations for second consecutive day on September 24, and it was decided also seek opinion of a legal expert to deal with the new situation. Already, it has been ten days, following the apex court, having ordered the ECP to immediately implement its verdict on eligibility of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for reserved seats in the National and provincial assemblies, the electoral body has been holding meetings to on how to go about the SC ‘clarification/order’. “It is indeed a complex situation now; on one hand, there is the apex court order and on the other, a recent related amendment made by the Parliament,” he maintained.

The Supreme Court had issued an order on September 14 in response to a request submitted by the ECP to seek clarification. The apex court had sought immediate implementation of its majority judgment on reserved seats case and had warned of consequences if it was not complied with.