KARACHI, May 16: The coordination committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has criticised the hearing of objections on delimitation of national and provincial constituencies by one judge only.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday, deputy convener of the coordination committee, Aftab Shaikh, demanded that public hearing of objections should be carried out under the 1974 election rules.

He said that hearing by one judge in one province was tantamount paving way for the victory of any political party of the rulers’ liking.

The Election Commission on Monday had announced that it would start deciding objections against the delimitation of constituencies from May 20. The objection would be decided through public hearing at Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta by one judge each at every centre.

Mr Shaikh, who was assisted by another deputy convener of the committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, said that his party condemned the decision of the Election Commission and rejected it. The decision should be withdrawn immediately, otherwise the Muttahida was also ready for a legal fight in that regard, he added.

He further viewed that carrying out the whole process of hearing, which would continue for over a month time, by one judge in every province would not be possible for judges. He said that the policy of the EC regarding the hearing of objections would open the door to electoral fraud.

He said there was no example of hearing by one individual and it was obvious from the previous elections held in 1974, 1993, 1997 and 1985 that commissions comprising more than one person conducted the hearing on objections.

He told journalists that other political parties had also planed to take stand against the EC policy. To a question he said that the Muttahida had lodged 17 objections on national constituency and 38 on provincial constituency.—PPI