Supreme Court nixes LHC’s election tribunal order

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday accepted the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) June 12 verdict.

The high court had formed election tribunals to adjudicate petitions related to national and provincial assembly constituencies in the February 8 general elections.

The decision was challenged by the electoral body in the top court contending that it held the authority to form the tribunals and which couldn’t be exercised by the LHC.

The 5-0 unanimous verdict, reserved on September 24, was announced by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa-led five-member bench comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.

Declaring the LHC’s ruling “null and void”, the apex court today said the high court’s single-member bench’s decision could not be presented at a judicial precedent as it didn’t consider the lack of meeting between the LHC chief justice and the chief election commissioner.

Pointing out that if the said meeting were given due consideration, then the high court would not have made such a decision, the SC said that a cautious approach should be adopted when an issue relates to a constitutional body.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.