LAHORE: A petition seeking disqualification of the lawmakers who voted in favour of a controversial clause of ‘Election Bill 2017’ was filed in the Supreme Court’s (SC) Lahore registry, reported a private news channel on Monday.
Gauhar Nawaz Sindhoo of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petitioned the apex court, pleading to disqualify those members of the National Assembly (NA) under Article 62 of the Constitution, who voted in favour of the controversial clause of the bill that paved way for ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to head ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
He argued that the ruling PML-N and his allies bulldozed the bill through the NA, a clause of which allows a person ineligible to be a member of the assembly to hold a party office, in order to render the SC’s disqualification verdict ineffective.
The petitioner said that those who voted in favour of the bill acted against the constitutional provisions and teachings of Islam, and were thus liable to be disqualified from membership of the assembly. He further argued that the legislators acted dishonestly to pass the legislative clause to accommodate Sharif as the party head.
Earlier on October 7, a petition challenging the controversial clause of the election bill was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Naming federal law secretary, Chief Election Commissioner (retired) Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan and others as respondents, the petitioner has pleaded with the court to strike down the law which was against the provisions of the Constitution and national interest.
Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had also filed a petition in the SC against the law.
Advocate Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta had also filed a petition in the apex court against the bill, contending that any individual who was disqualified by the SC or any court for not being honest and truthful, will be able to control legislation and voting in the NA as members of the Parliament will not be able to vote on important matters of their own free will because they will be bound by the decision of the head of the party.