AGP tells SC it can’t take up PTI plea because the matter is sub-judice in election tribunals
The federal government on Thursday submitted a written reply in the Supreme Court in a case pertaining to reopening of four Punjab constituencies requested by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The government demanded the apex court to snub the petition as it was out of the SC’s jurisdiction due to being sub-judice in election tribunals.
The rejoinder, submitted by the office of the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) on behalf of the Law Ministry, said that the case regarding recounting of ballots and verification of thumb impressions of the constituencies was pending before election tribunals and therefore it was out of the apex court’s jurisdiction.
All the four constituencies under question were bagged by the ruling PML-N stalwarts — Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq (NA-125, Lahore) Siddiq Khan Baloch (NA-154, Lodhran), Defence and Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif (NA-110, Sialkot) and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq (NA-122, Lahore).
According to Article 225 of the Constitution, petitions pertaining to elections fall under the jurisdiction of election tribunals, said the rejoinder. Therefore, the Supreme Court cannot be asked to hear such petitions, it added.
The government also pleaded before the court to rebuff the PTI’s petition for what it termed vague and generic allegations hurled in it. The PTI’s petition was also not attached with any evidence, added the government’s response.
