*ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stayed thenotification of new MPAs on five seats of the Punjab Assembly till theby-elections. *
A five-member ECP bench – headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) –announced the verdict. The decision was announced in light of the LahoreHigh Court’s (LHC) directives to dispose of the matter by June 2.
According to the verdict, the allocation of reserved seats — three womenand two minorities — would be notified after the conclusion of theby-election for 20 vacant Punjab Assembly seats.
At the outset of the hearing today, Advocate General Punjab Shehbaz Shaukattold ECP that Punjab Assembly electoral college will complete afterby-elections on 20 Punjab Assembly General Seats that fell vacant after PTIlawmakers were de-notified by ECP.
“ECP should issue notification on Punjab reserved seats on basis ofby-polls on 20 vacant Punjab Assembly seats,” Punjab AGP added.
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“By-elections on 20 general seats will clear the party position in PunjabAssembly and reserved seats can only be allotted after the completion ofthe electoral college,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) hadapproached LHC over nominating new members on the vacant reserved seats ofthe Punjab Assembly.
The petition filed through Advocate Azhar Siddique pleaded that the ECP hadde-seated five members on reserved seats over changing their loyalties andthe commission is now constitutionally bound to notify other members of theparty.
