Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aaliya Neelum rejected the request of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) seeking the reformation of the election tribunals in the province, sources said on Friday. Chief Election Commissioner Sultan Akram Raja met the LHC chief justice and requested her to reconstitute the existing election tribunals, the sources said.
Justice Aaliya Neelum turned down the CEC’s request, maintaining that the present election tribunals will continue to function as usual. The LHC chief justice said that the final decision on the election tribunals will be made by the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan.
Earlier on June 20, the Supreme Court (SC) rejected an appeal moved by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against formation of election tribunals by the Lahore High Court. The two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and also comprising Justice Naeem Afghan, heard the Election Commission’s appeal. The commission’s lawyer, Sikandar Bashir, and PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja appeared before the court. Justice Isa questioned whether the Chief Election Commissioner and the CJP could not meet to resolve disputes. He remarked that if every issue is to be made contentious, then Parliament should be shut down. He asserted that using ordinances is a disregard for Parliament and a violation of its authority.
