QUETTA: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan and respondents in a petition filed by Jamila Bibi of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal who has challenged the election to the provincial assembly on seats reserved for women.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai and Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar asked the Election Commission on Thursday to submit a report on the matter.

The counsel for the petitioner said that in the 2013 general elections Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Mir Ammal Kalmati had been elected members of the Balochistan Assembly from Wadh and Gwadar constituencies, but the ECP withheld the notification of Mr Mengal until the completion of election of women on special seats.

The counsel pleaded that withholding of the notification deprived her party to nominate its candidate to enter the contest for women’s seats and asked the court to declare the notification regarding successful women members as void.

The hearing was adjourned till March 3.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2015

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