ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday finally de-notified Punjab Assembly membership of Kashif Mehmood from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) over eight months after he was disqualified by Supreme Court in fake-degree case—in what appears to be another huge setback to N-League in addition to the removal of Hamza Shahbaz as Chief Minister Punjab at the hands of apex court.
With Mehmood’s de-notification, the strengthen of PML-N and its allies in PA has reduced from 179 to 178 members compared to 186 seats of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its ally Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q).
Mehmood was elected as Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) from PP-241 Bahawalnagar in August 2018 general elections, was disqualified by IHC in fake-degree case on January 31, 2020.
Subsequently, the SC upheld his disqualification on November 23, 2021. However, the electoral body did not de-notify Mehmood’s legislative membership, saying, it did not receive the court orders. Despite strong criticism from political and public circles, Mehmood voted in the election of CM Punjab, held July 22, wherein Hamza Shahbaz received 179 votes against 186 votes of Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.
By-elections are required to be held on any general seat within 60 days from the date it falls vacant.
Article 224 (4) provides that when, except by dissolution of National Assembly or a provincial assembly, a general seat in any assembly has become vacant not later than 120 days before the term of that assembly is due to expire, an election to fill the seat shall be held within 60 from the occurrence of the vacancy.
Separately, the electoral body, Tuesday, asked the political parties to submit their wealth statements of the previous financial year 2021-22 not later than coming August 29—under Section 210 of Elections Act 2017.
This section provides that a political party shall, in such a manner as may be prescribed, submit to the commission, within 60 days from the close of a financial year, a consolidated statement of its accounts audited by a chartered accountant on Form-D containing: (a) annual income and expenses; (b) sources of its funds; and (c) assets and liabilities.
Section 210 further reads that the statement to be submitted to the ECP shall accompany the report of a chartered accountant with regard to the audit of accounts of a political party and a certificate signed by an office-bearer authorised by the party head stating that - (a) no funds from any source prohibited under the Elections Act 2017 were received by the political party; and (b) the statement contains an accurate financial position of the political party.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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