IHC dismisses Fawad Chaudhry's plea against ECP member

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chauhdry’s petition, challenging the appointment of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) member Nasir Durrani, ARY News reported on Monday.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition against ECP member from the Sindh province, Nisar Durrani, seeking his removal.

During the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah noted that the election commission was a constitutional body and the Constitution provides a process to remove an ECP member.

He asked the PTI counsel about the process provided in the constitution. To which, the lawyer said that under the constitution the Supreme Judicial Council could remove an ECP member.

The chief justice said that the court will follow the Constitution and nothing else. The lawyer claimed that the appointment of Nasir Durrani was a different case and the court could use its constitutional jurisdiction.

However, Justice Minallah said, the high court uses its constitutional jurisdiction when the relevant forum is not present. After hearing the arguments from both sides, the IHC chief justice Athar Minallah rejected the petition.