ECP announces by-polls to 20 Punjab constituencies on July 17

ISLAMABAD: At a time when the PTI is staging a long march for a fresh election in the country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced by-election to the 20 vacant seats of Punjab Assembly.
The ECP said that by-election to the 20 vacant seats of the provincial assembly will be held on July 17. These seats fell vacant after the ECP de-seated 25 dissident MPAs of the PTI in Punjab for voting in favour of Hamza Sharif against the party policy.
The nomination papers for the by-election will be accepted from June 4 to 7, and scrutiny of the papers will be held on June 11. The election tribunal will decide on appeals against rejection or acceptance of nomination papers by June 21, while nomination papers can be withdrawn by June 23.
The constitutencies where by-elections will be held include: PP-7, PP-83, PP-90, PP-97, PP-125, PP-127, PP-140, PP-158, PP-167, PP-168, PP-170, PP-202, PP-217, PP-224, PP-228, PP-237, PP-272, PP-273, PP-282 Layyah and PP-288.
The date for the by-elections comes after the ECP on Monday de-notified the 25 PTI MPAs.
The decision to de-seat the 25 PTI dissidents came during the announcement of the verdict in a case pertaining to the dissident members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs).
Earlier, the ECP had issued official notifications for the cancellation of the dissidents’ election from respective constituencies of Punjab and seats reserved for women and non-Muslims.
“Pursuant to the Order dated the 20″ May, 2022 passed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in case No. 13(1)/2022-Law, upon confirmation of the declarations under Article 63A(1)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby de notify the following members Provincial Assembly of Punjab from the respective Constituencies, seats reserved for women, and non-Muslims in terms of Article 63A(4) of the Constitution,” the notifications read.
As many as 20 out of 25 dissidents were elected from different constituencies, three were elected on seats reserved for women and two were elected on seats reserved for non-Muslims.