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PESHAWAR, Jul 08 (APP):The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday annulled the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision dated February 22, 2024, regarding the allocation of reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, terming it unconstitutional and unlawful.
The court’s ruling came in response to a petition filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which challenged the distribution of reserved seats for women and minorities in the provincial assembly.
In a brief two-page written verdict authored by Justice Arshad Ali, the court declared that the ECP’s decision was in violation of Article 106 of the Constitution and Rule 92 of the Elections Act, 2017.
The court directed the Election Commission to revisit the matter and ensure the redistribution of reserved seats within ten days.
The reallocation must be carried out in accordance with constitutional provisions and after hearing all concerned political parties or their representatives.
Furthermore, the court ordered that no oath-taking ceremonies should be conducted for the disputed seats until the issue is resolved.
The verdict also stressed that due representation must be ensured for women and minorities as per the law.