PHC puts ECP on notice in PTI MPA’s petition

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan in a writ petition by the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator seeking cancellation of the May 30 Local Government elections and direction for fresh elections throughout the province.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the notice and asked the ECP to submit reply in the case today (Friday).PTI Member Provincial Assembly Zahid Durrani had filed a writ petition through his lawyer Muazzam Butt and sought cancellation of May 30 Local Government elections and direction for fresh elections throughout the province.
The PTI lawmaker also prayed the court to suspend the by-election in 365 polling stations to be held on July 5 till disposal of the petition. Court issues notice to ECP on JI candidate’s petition: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan in a writ petition of Aizazul Mulk Afkari, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) wining candidate in by-election on PK-95, seeking his notification as returned candidate.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaisar also issued notice to respondents in applications of National Commission on Status of Women, Aurat Foundation and women rights’ activists requesting the court to make them party in the writ petition filed against the decision of ECP.In a decision on June 2, the ECP decided not to notify the returned candidate and announced to hold fresh election. It also announced schedule for re-election in the constituency. The re-election was scheduled to be held on July 12.
However, the PHC later suspended the decision of the ECP that had declared last month’s by-election in the provincial assembly constituency, PK-95 Lower Dir, as void because of the disenfranchisement of women.
The court had also suspended the schedule for by-election till next order. On the basis of court’s stay order, the JI winning candidate requested the court to direct the ECP to notify him as returned candidate.
The National Commission on Status of Women, through its provincial chairperson Neelam Toru, Aurat Foundation through Resident Director Shabina Ayaz and women rights’ activists including, Rukhshanda Naz, Tahira Abdullah and Bushra Gohar filed applications through their lawyers Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah, Mohsin Mehboob and Jalal Khan to make them a party to the case. The bench fixed July 28 for next hearing into the case.