ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Thursday, approached the Supreme Court seeking guidance about 41 parliamentarians who contested the general elections 2024 as independent candidates.
The ECP has notified 39 returned MNAs as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers following the Supreme Court’s order on the reserved seats case.
The application submitted by ECP in the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office as the eight judges order said; “In case the Commission or PTI need any clarification or order so as to give effect to this para in full measure, it shall forthwith apply to the Court by making an appropriate application, which shall be put up before the judges constituting the majority in chambers for such orders and directions as may be deemed appropriate.”
The Commission mentioned that according to its record the PTI has no party structure and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is not PTI chairman, therefore, sought Supreme Court’s guidance.
They declared that out of the 80 returned candidates (now MNAs) in respect of whom the Commission has shown “PTI” in any one of the columns in the List, provided by ECP, were and are the returned candidates whose seats were and have been secured by the PTI within the meaning, and for purposes of provision of Article 51.
They further ordered that any of the remaining 41 returned candidates out of the 80 may, within 15 working days of this Order file a statement duly signed and notarized stating that he or she contested the General Election as a candidate of the political party specified therein. If any such statement(s) is/are filed, the Commission shall forthwith but in any case within seven days thereafter give notice to the political party concerned to file, within 15 working days, a confirmation that the candidate contested the General Election as its candidate.
The Commission shall also forthwith issue, and post on its website, a list of the retuned candidates (now MNAs) and seats to which this para applies within seven days after the last date on which a political party may file its confirmation and shall simultaneously file a compliance report in the Court.
The number of general seats secured by PTI shall be the total of the seats declared. The PTI shall be entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly accordingly. PTI shall, within 15 working days of this Order file its lists of candidates for the said reserved seats and the provisions of the Elections Act, 2017 (including in particular Sec 104) and the Elections Rules, 2017 shall be applied to such lists in such manner as gives effect to this Order in full measure.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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