SC overturns LHC verdict, upholds ECP’s appeal on Punjab election tribunals

 The Supreme Court of Pakistan has accepted the Election Commission of Pakistan’s plea against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) June 12 verdict.

The LHC had formed election tribunals to adjudicate pleas related to national and provincial assembly constituencies in the Feb 8 general elections.

The verdict 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 Supreme Court said that the LHC’s single-member bench’s decision could not be presented as a judicial precedent as it didn’t consider the lack of meeting between the LHC chief justice and the chief election commissioner.