ISLAMABAD: The Ele­c­tion Commission of Pak­­istan (ECP) on Tuesday re­­served its verdict on a plea against delay in administration of oath to the newly elected members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as­­sembly on reserved seats.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the petition.

MPAs-elect Jamila Paracha, Afshan Hussain, Amna Sardar Faiza Malik, Shazia Jadoon, and Suresh Kumar, who attended the proceedings, argued they were being denied the opportunity to take oath as KP MPAs.

The counsel for the complainants, Shah Khawar, said since the ECP issued notification for the petitioners on reserved seats on March 4, it was the responsibility of KP Assembly speaker to convene the session and administer the oath.

The attorney also urged the ECP to ensure that the April 2 Senate elections are held only after the administration of oath to the MPAs elect.

But the CEC questioned the legal position if the ECP could instruct the speaker of an assembly to administer oath to the newly elected members on reserved seats.

A representative from the KP Assembly stated that the speaker had not refused to administer the oath, rather argued that the summoning of the assembly session by the governor was illegal.

Advocate Khawar agreed that the ECP should not intervene in the internal affairs of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly proceedings.

On the other hand, the KP Assembly secretary mentioned it needed to be examined whether the governor had the authority to summon assembly session without a summary from the relevant authorities. The oath will be administered promptly, following the session.

Later, the director general (law) of the ECP affirmed that it was the fundamental responsibility of the commission to conduct elections. More­over, the commission also has jurisdiction over oath-taking procedures. The ECP can issue directives concerning the oath-taking process of members and intervene if there are any delays in the administration of the oath.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.