ECP announces by-polls for 31 NA seats on March 19


The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Friday that by-elections will be held on March 19 on 31 National Assembly seats which fell vacant following the resignations by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers

According to the schedule issued by the election watchdog, nomination papers for the by-polls can be filed from February 10 to 14, while the names of nominated candidates will be published on February 15

Also read: CDA moves to evict denotified PTI lawmakers from Parliament Lodges The constituencies where by-elections will be held include: NA-02 Swat-I, NA-03 Swat-II, NA-05 Upper Dir-I, NA-06 Lower Dir-I, NA-07 Lower Dir-II, NA-08 Malakand Protected Area, NA-09 Buner, NA-16 Abbotabad-II, NA-19 Swabi-II, NA-20 Mardan-I, NA-28 Peshawar-II, NA-30 Peshawar-IV, NA-34 Karak, NA-40 Bajaur-I, NA-42 Mohmand, NA-44 Khyber-II, NA-61 Rawalpindi-V, NA-70 Gujrat-III, NA-87 Hafizabad-I, NA-93 Khushab-I, NA-96 Mianwali-II, NA-107 Faisalabad-VII, NA-109 Faisalabad-IX, NA-135 Lahore-XIII, NA-150 Khanewal-I, NA-152 Khanewal-III, NA-158 Multan-V, NA-164 Vehari-III, NA-165 Vehari-IV, NA-177 Rahim Yar Khan-III, NA-187 Layyah-I

The election watchdog said scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on Feb 18 while the election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on March 2

A total of 123 PTI MNAs had resigned en masse on April 11 last year—two days after their party chairman was ousted as the prime minister through a no-confidence motion

Last month, NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of lawmakers belonging to the PTI in a bid to help Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif secure a confidence vote announced by party’s chief Imran Khan

The PTI has challenged the acceptance of their resignations in court

Also read: By-polls for 33 NA seats vacated by PTI on March 16 The party had earlier moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over the “piecemeal acceptance” of their resignations in phases by the NA Speaker

 However, the court later dismissed the petition

Later, the PTI approached the Supreme Court, praying it to set aside the high court’s order, contesting it was “vague, cursory, and against the law”

A decision on the plea is still pending in the apex court



Date:04-Feb-2023 Reference:View Original Link