Changes in election tribunal plea allowed

SIC counsel says govt disregarded LHC order on tribunal judges

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday allowed Salman Akram Raja, the lawyer for the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), to make changes in a petition filed against an ordinance that amended the Election Act, 2017 in order to allow appointment of retired judges as election tribunals.

Taking up the SIC’s petition, LHC Justice Shahid Karim noted that the petition was filed against the presidential ordinance but now the government had turned the amendments into an act of parliament.

He suggested that the petition should be amended in view of the subsequent development. The SIC’s counsel agreed with the proposal to resubmit the petition.

Raja contended in the petition that LHC chief justice had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to appoint some judges as election tribunals but the government instead of implementing the order issued an ordinance allowing appointment of retired judges to adjudicate election petitions.

The petition requested the court to declare the appointments of retired judges to election tribunals illegal and unconstitutional. It also prayed for suspension of the ordinance until a final decision.

Meanwhile, the registrar of the LHC returned a similar petition filed by a citizen after raising objection to it. The registrar office noted that the petitioner has not attached a copy of the Election (Amendment) Act, 2024.

The petition filed by citizen Munir Ahmed said the amended act was passed to target a political party. It noted that similar matters are currently under consideration in the LHC and other courts. The plea requested the court to declare the Election Amendment Act 2024 illegal and restore the old tribunals.