In a seven-page verdict, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has signalled to postpone Senate election – which is scheduled to be held on April 2 – in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid ongoing issue regarding oath-taking of the lawmakers on reserved seats in the province.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Thursday issued the seven-page verdict on application regarding issuance of orders for administering of oaths to the lawmakers and suspension of the Senate poll till the administration of oaths to the extent of KP province.
Right to vote is a fundamental right and no voter cannot be deprived of this fundamental right, read the verdict, adding that the commission has ample power to issue such directions and make such consequential orders to ensure that election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law.
“Therefore, in case of non-compliance of directions and order issued under Article 218(3) read with Section 4(1) and Section 8(c) of the Act, the Commission may in addition to any other action may extend the time for completion of the Senate election to the extent of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till the administration of oath to members of the Provincial Assembly against the including the applicants,” it added.
Earlier, opposition parties in the KP Assembly moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) seeking the court’s intervention on the issue of oath-taking of members on the reserved seats. The petition, filed by members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), urges the court to see that the members elected on the reserved seats are sworn in to be able to cast their votes in the upcoming Senate elections.
“Failure to administer the oath to members elected on the KP reserved reflects ‘mal-intent’,” the plea reads further praying the court to postpone the Senate polls if the elected members are not sworn in.
The development comes as the issue of oath-taking of members on the reserved seats is facing uncertainty owing to the deadlock between the KP government and opposition parties, wherein the former has objected to the KP governor’s decision to summon the assembly session upon the opposition’s request.
Meanwhile, out of a total of 11 candidates, nine have been elected unopposed from Balochistan on the general and women seats in the Senate election, while polling for the remaining two technocrat seats will take place on April 2.
According to details, seven candidates secured uncontested victories against general seats after Ijaz Ahmed’s retirement, while the candidates for the two women’s seats had already been elected unopposed.
For the two technocrat seats, a contest among three candidates is expected, with polling scheduled for April 2.
The candidates elected unopposed from Balochistan include former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Sardar Nasir of the PML-N, Agha Shahzaib Durrani, Sardar Umar Gorgage of the PPP, Jan Buledi of the National Party, Amal Wali of the Awami National Party and Ahmed Khan of the JUI-F.
Rahat Jamali of the PML-N and Hasina Bibi of the PPP were elected senators for the women’s seats.
