PESHAWAR:The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday ordered the suspension of the by-elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scheduled for April 30 for three NA constituencies.
A two-member bench of PHC comprising of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice SM Attiq Shah in a detailed judgment issued here said that as the interpretation of the provision of Articles 223 and 224 of the Constitution requires considerations, therefore the by-polls in the three NA constituencies are suspended till further order.
The bench also issued notice to the Attorney General of Pakistan in terms of Order XXVII-A CPC for the interpretation of the two articles of the Constitution.
Earlier, Barrister Gohar Ali KHan, the Counsel for the petitioner told the court that the schedule of by-elections was in violation of the explicit provisions of Articles 224(4) of the constitution.
The Deputy Attorney General contended that the impugned notification has been issued strictly in accordance with the spirit of Articles 223 and 224 of the Constitution and elections can be held within 120 days before the expiry of life of the National Assembly.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan had issued April 30 as the election date for NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda and NA-31 Peshawar.