Islamabad (Web Desk): The Supreme Court (SC) has overturned the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to disqualify Muhammad Adil Bazai, a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Balochistan, following accusations of floor-crossing.
Bazai, who was elected as an independent candidate from NA-262 Quetta 1 in the 2024 general elections, later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) after taking his oath as an MNA.
His defection triggered a reference filed by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who accused Bazai of violating Article 63-A of the Constitution, which governs the disqualification of lawmakers for party-switching or floor-crossing in Parliament.
According to PML-N, Bazai had initially signed an affidavit indicating he was a member of their party but subsequently joined a different party in the Assembly.
However, Bazai denied the authenticity of the affidavit, claiming it was fake, and argued that he had never been a part of PML-N. Despite Bazai’s protestations, the ECP ruled in favor of PML-N, disqualifying Bazai from his parliamentary seat on the grounds of floor-crossing.
Bazai challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. A five-member bench of the Court, headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, reviewed the case and expressed serious concerns about the ECP’s handling of the matter.
The Court particularly questioned the basis on which the ECP accepted one affidavit as genuine while dismissing the other, which was submitted by Bazai.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked that it was highly problematic for the ECP to decide in favor of one affidavit without proper scrutiny or clarity, especially when the petitioner had specifically contested its authenticity.
The top court also emphasized the gravity of disqualifying an elected representative, underlining that such decisions have far-reaching consequences for the democratic rights of voters. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah pointed out that depriving voters of their elected representative must not be taken lightly and should only occur within clearly defined legal parameters.
As a result, the SC ruled that Bazai should remain a legitimate member of the National Assembly.
The court’s ruling serves as a reminder that such disqualification cases should be handled with transparency, fairness, and careful consideration of all evidence presented.
The detailed judgment on the matter is expected to be released at a later date, but its intervention in this case underscores its commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that the will of the people, as expressed through their elected representatives, is upheld.