‘Retired judges in ETs’: Plea referred to LHC CJ for disposal by larger bench

LAHORE: Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday referred a petition to Chief Justice for its disposal by some larger bench challenging the appointment of retired judges as election tribunals.

The judge observed that the petition involves significant legal and constitutional questions, requiring a larger bench to decide it.

The judge also issued notices on the petition filed by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja.

The petitioner claimed that he had won NA-128 Lahore seat by defeating his opponent Awn Chaudhry of Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP). However, he alleged that the results were altered fraudulently, and a notification was issued declaring Awn as the winner.

The petitioner stated that, under the Election Act 2017, the election tribunals for hearing electoral disputes were to be formed with sitting judges of the high court.

He accused the ECP of appointing retired judges to election tribunals to secure favourable decisions. He; therefore, asked the court to stay the hearings by the tribunals comprising retired judges.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024