The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the decision of an electoral tribunal that annulled the election of Qasim Suri, as well as the decision of the Electoral Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to notify it as a member of the National Assembly.
Upon admitting Suri's appeal for a hearing, a three-member court headed by Judge Umar Ata Bandial issued notices to the parties in the case.
The higher court also requested the electoral commission not to issue the electoral calendar for NA-265 (Quetta-II).
In his appeal, filed by Naeem Bukhari, Suri had questioned the jurisdiction of the ECP to dismiss him when he was not properly constituted, since the five-member commission had two members.
On September 27, the electoral court of the Upper Baluchistan Court had declared void the election of Suri, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) of Balochistan, and ordered re-election in the constituency.
Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) had challenged Suri's election, alleging fraud.
Read: NA was abruptly extended after ECP dismisses the vice president
On Wednesday, the session of the National Assembly, which was scheduled to continue until October 4, was abruptly extended minutes after its start. Opposition members claimed that the measure was aimed at avoiding the election for the vacant position of the vice president.
The extension came hours after the ECP issued a notification of the overthrow of Suri.
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1509503/sc-suspends-election-tribunals-decision-to-deseat-qasim-suri