Staff Reporter Daily Dawn, Dawn TV Report
The Peshawar High Court has declared null and void the Election Commission’s announcement on the distribution of reserved seats for women and minorities in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
The Peshawar High Court has issued a 2-page reserved decision on a petition filed by the Muslim League (N) regarding reserved seats.
The decision has said that the Election Commission should reallocate seats related to minorities and women, and the Election Commission should hear all candidates and political parties within 10 days.
The decision has further said that oath should not be taken on reserved seats until the Election Commission’s decision.
It should be noted that on July 2, the Election Commission of Pakistan had reinstated 74 out of 77 suspended members, including 19 members of the National Assembly, 27 members of the Punjab Assembly, 25 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and 3 members of the Sindh Assembly.
The announcement of 21 women and 4 minority candidates on reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was issued, after which the number of opposition parties became 52.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) had become the largest opposition party in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly with 19 seats, while JUI-F had restored 8 women and 2 minority seats.
On the other hand, the strength of the PML-N in the provincial assembly after the restoration of 6 women and one minority seat, took it to 16.
On July 4, the PML-N had challenged the distribution of reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the Peshawar High Court.
In addition, the number of Pakistan Peoples Party had become 11 after the restoration of 5 women and one minority seat, while the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP) had restored one women’s reserved seat each.
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