Elections Bill 2017 challenged by PAT in LHC

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LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Tuesday challenged the Elections Bill 2017 in the Lahore High Court (LHC), urging to nullify the law.

A controversial clause in the bill that was passed earlier was met with heavy criticism by the opposition. The amendment paved way for politicians disqualified from public position to lead political parties.

PAT in its petition argued that the bill opposes the spirit of the constitution by allowing a disqualified person to lead a party.

In addition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Sheikh Rasheed-led Awami Muslim League will also challenge the law.

The PML-N has convened a meeting of its general council on Tuesday to formally begin the process of re-electing Nawaz Sharif as the party’s president.

The National Assembly had on Monday passed the Elections Bill 2017, paving way for the former prime minister to regain chairmanship of the ruling party.

President Mamnoon Hussain also ratified the amended bill into a law.

Furious by the passage of the bill, the opposition members tore copies of the bill when it was presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi also agreed that clause 203 of the bill opposes the spirit of the country’s Constitution.