CM Gandapur approches PHC against new ECP notice

PESHAWAR:Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, has approached the Peshawar High Court in response to new notice issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding his assets. The petition, filed against the ECP, challenged its authority and motives in issuing the notices. In the petition, the CM argued that he had submitted all records related to his assets and financial declarations to the relevant authorities prior to the elections. He emphasized that his eligibility had been affirmed by the ECP after thorough scrutiny of the provided information. Despite this, the ECP issued a notice in April last year, which was later suspended by PHC, preventing further action. The petition contended that once a successful candidate had been officially notified, the ECP could not initiate such proceedings. Furthermore, it argued that electoral matters should now fall under the purview of election tribunals rather than the ECP. The petition accused the ECP of harassment and political victimization, asserting that the notices were an attempt to undermine his position. It further claimed that the ECP was overstepping its constitutional mandate, which was limited to conducting elections and not adjudicating post-election disputes. [embedpost slug="atc-suspends-non-bailable-arrest-warrant-of-kp-cm-gandapur"] The petition urged the PHC to suspend the recent notice and restrain the ECP from initiating further proceedings, describing the notices as a “sword hanging over the head” of the CM.