LHC moved against PTI-specific law

Petitioner claimed that amended act was passed without debate, without approval from relevant committee

LAHORE:

A citizen has approached the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging a newly promulgated piece of legislation—the Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2024—that has put hurdles in the way of 41 Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) parliamentarian to join the PTI in view of a Supreme Court order.

Citizen Mashkoor Hussain has filed the petition through Nadeem Sarwar Advocate, naming the federal government, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the president, and the prime minister as respondents.

The petition argues that four amendments were made to the Election Act, 2017 to override the Supreme Court's July 12 ruling. It claims that the amended act was passed without debate and without approval from the relevant committee.

The petitioner requests the LHC to annul Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2024 and to suspend its implementation until a final decision on the petition.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday signed the Election Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, thereby turning the controversial bill into an act of parliament.

After the president's approval, the National Assembly Secretariat declared the Election Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, as the 15th act of the current parliament and directed its law section to issue the gazette notification.

This new legislation has created a legal obstacle for the 41 SIC lawmakers, whom the Supreme Court on July 12 had permitted to join the PTI. These 41 SIC lawmakers will no longer be able to join the PTI, with whose backing they had won the February 8 general elections.

Under the Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2024, any candidate who does not submit a party certificate before obtaining an election symbol will be considered an independent candidate.

If a political party fails to submit the list of candidates for reserved seats within the prescribed period, it will no longer be entitled to those reserved seats. Additionally, any candidate's affiliation with a political party expressed within the prescribed period will be irrevocable.