ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday upheld the fresh delimitation of 10 constituencies in eight districts as it dismissed over 20 petitions seeking to set aside Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s notification on the matter, a private TV channel reported.
Justice Aamer Farooq, after hearing the point of view of the petitioners and the ECP at length, dismissed the petitions filed against the delimitation of district Islamabad, Karachi, Bhakkar, Batgram, Layyah, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha and Mirpur Khas. The court, however, reserved verdict on the delimitation of Abbottabad.
On Wednesday, the court had declared the delimitation of Kharan, Ghotki, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Bahawalpur and Haripur void.On Tuesday, the court had set aside the delimitation of constituencies in four districts of Jehlum, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Lower Dir. The court had remanded all these cases back to the ECP for rehearing.
According to the Elections Act, 2017, the constituencies for elections to the national and provincial assemblies are to be delimited after every census. However, after the recent delimitation of the constituencies following last year’s census, over 120 petitions from different constituencies were filed in the IHC. The petitioners are from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and various other political parties.
Published in Daily Times, June 1st 2018.