Election record inspection: LHC refers NA-122 case to election commission

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday dropped proceedings against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan after he submitted a statement regretting the disturbance caused by PTI workers on his arrival at the court last week.

The chief justice disposed of the petition filed by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq against an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan allowing a returning officer to inspect election record of NA-122. The chief justice referred the matter to the ECP, saying the commission should decide who would examine the election record.

The chief justice said if the ECP did not want to select an official of the Punjab or federal governments, it should consult the judiciary before appointing a judicial officer.

Sadiq said that the ECP could not direct returning officers to inspect records after elections.

Khan had approached the ECP for inspection of polling record after he lost the election to Sadiq in NA-122. The election commission had passed an order on his appeal.

On Monday, Khan’s counsel said returning officers were bound by the orders of the ECP for a year after announcement of election results.

The chief justice said the judiciary had given its officers for conducting elections on the request of the ECP. He said judicial officers were already overburdened with routine work and did not have time for election matters.

Earlier, the CJ asked Awais about Khan’s reply on the disturbance caused by PTI supporters last week.

His lawyer read out Khan’s statement that PTI lawyers had entered the courtroom peacefully. He said the PTI wanted rule of law. The CJ asked Awais why the statement did not bear Khan’s signatures. At this, Awais said being Khan’s counsel gave him the authority to sign the statement on his behalf.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2014.