From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Following the lead of the National Assembly speaker, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan has written to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), urging the implementation of the amended Election Act and the reinforcement of parliamentary supremacy.
In his letter, Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan emphasised the importance of ensuring the integrity of the revised Election Act. “The democratic process relies on the sovereignty of parliament, which forms the foundation of our democratic system,” he stated. “It is essential that this principle is upheld in all deci-sions and actions.” He warned that undermining parliamentary sovereignty would be detrimental to democracy, reiterat-ing the need for all constitutional institutions to respect and adhere to the laws established by parlia-ment.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent decision, Malik Ahmad Khan noted that parliament had sub-sequently passed the Second Amendment to the Election Act, which reflects the sanctity of party affil-iation. According to this legislation, independent members who align with a political party after the election cannot later switch their allegiance.
“The implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling is no longer legally feasible after the new legisla-tion,” he wrote, adding that the amended Election Act is now in force. He called on the ECP to fulfil its legal duty by adhering to the laws set out by parliament.
Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan further urged the ECP to promptly enforce the provisions of the Election Act regarding the political affiliations of independent members. “The ECP is bound to apply the clauses of the Election Act without delay,” he asserted.
This move comes after Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly formally challenged the Supreme Court’s decision on reserved seats, arguing that the recent amendments to the Election Act override the court’s directive. Sadiq had also called on the ECP to fully implement the new legislation and main-tain the authority of parliament.
This development is likely to escalate the ongoing debate over the balance of power between Paki-stan’s judiciary and parliament, particularly concerning the evolving rules governing the country’s elec-toral processes.
