Article 63-A challenged in Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in Supreme Court against Article 63-A of the Constitution which is related to the status of defecting lawmakers, ARY News reported.

The petition, which was filed on Thursday by Advocate Zulfiqar Bhatta, stated that Article 63-A of the Constitution is against democratic norms and freedom of expression.

The federal government and law ministry have been made respondents in the petition.

“The SC verdict regarding the interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution has put an end to the democratic process of no-confidence motion,” the petition read.

The petitioner pleaded with the apex court to restore de-notified lawmakers until decision on the plea.

The plea comes after the SC recently had announced its verdict on the interpretation of Article 63 (A), declaring that defective votes will not be counted in the Parliament.

The decision was made with a majority of 3-2, Justice Jamal Mandokhel and Justice Nazeer Alam dissented from the decision. CJP observed that changing loyalties in the parliament damages the integrity of democracy.

The verdict by the larger bench of the apex court was a 3-2 split decision, with a majority of the judges not allowing lawmakers to vote against party line in four instances outlined under Article 63-A.