- Former CJP files application to become party in vote rigging probe
While the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday rejected a plea against the formation of judicial commission (JC) to probe alleged rigging in General Election 2013, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) formed teams to keep an eye on commission’s working.
During the case proceedings headed by Justice Ayisha A Malik, the petitioner argued that only an election tribunal could look into the allegations of election rigging under the Constitution. He added that the Presidential Ordinance, under which the commission has been constituted, contravenes the Constitution and sought the court to declare the ordinance as null and void to halt the commission from inquiring into the rigging allegations.
The court rejected the plea of immediate halt of the probe and summoned replies of the government and other parties of the case by April 29.
Separately, PML-N has formed legal and political teams for JC. The legal team comprises Khawaja Haris, Makhdoom Ali Khan and Khalid Anwar while the team to review the political situation as the commission probes the matter comprises Talal Chaudhry, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Asif.
CJP WANTS TO JOIN PARTY:
In the meanwhile, former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Tuesday filed an application to become a party in judicial probe into alleged rigging in 2013 elections.
Chaudhry stated he wanted to personally appear before the commission to clear his position about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations over ex-CJP’s involvement in vote-rigging.
A three-member judicial panel, comprising CJP Nasirul Mulk, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal, will start hearings in open court from April 16.
