Supreme Court rejects ECP’s request to stay formation of election tribunals

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday dismissed an appeal by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the constitution of election tribunals by the Lahore High Court.

The two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Isa and Justice Naeem Afghan heard the Election Commission’s appeal. Commission counsel Sikandar Bashir and PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja appeared before the court.

At the beginning of the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa expressed concern over the constant application of ordinances and its tendency to create conflicts in the country.

Justice Isa asked whether the Chief Election Commissioner and the CJP could not meet

to resolve disputes. He observed that if every issue was to be declared a contentious issue, Parliament would have to be closed. He claimed that the use of ordinances was a disrespect to Parliament and a violation of its authority.

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The Chief Justice referred to the earlier dispute between the President and the Election Commission over the election date. He also questioned the need for letters from the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

The court rejected the ECP’s request and referred the matter to the Supreme Court Committee for the constitution of a larger court.

On June 12, the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Malik Shahzad Ahmad, ordered the establishment of eight election tribunals. The Election Commission of Pakistan challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.