- AG, others served notice in petition filed by PTI against polls for offices of Senate chairman, deputy chairman
On Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s petition seeking stay orders for election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to the attorney general (AG) and other parties concerned, seeking reply from them within a week.
A two-member IHC bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amir Farooq took up the case for hearing Tuesday. PTI’s counsel Barrister Shoaib Razzaq appeared in the court while deputy attorney general (DAG) represented the government.
The PTI’s counsel argued that members of Parliament from FATA could not get a chance to exercise their right to vote due to promulgation of a presidential ordinance in the recently held Senate polls. The election of chairman and deputy chairman of Senate cannot be held under Article 60 of Constitution, he said.
The PTI’s counsel told the court that no schedule for Senate polls has been issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for members of Parliament from FATA. Members of Parliament from all the four provinces including FATA could not exercise their right to vote in Senate. He prayed the court to order for staying holding of polls for the posts of chairman and deputy chairman of Senate.
The court remarked no orders can be issued without hearing the stance of parties concerned. The court while issuing notices to AG for legal assistant and others has sought reply from them within a week.