IHC dismisses Gilani's petition challenging Senate chairman election

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has on Wednesday dismissed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s plea against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s election earlier this month citing Article 69 of the Constitution which bars courts from inquiring into proceedings of parliament, ARY NEWS reported.

The court said in its 13-page verdict released today that the petition to declare Senate Chairman election results null and void, filed by Farooq H. Naek of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on behalf of Gilani, is beyond the jurisdiction of the court.

IHC earlier reserved the verdict on former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani’s petition challenging the election of the Senate chairman.

Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah had taken up the petition. After a preliminary hearing, the court reserved its judgment on the maintainability of the petition, which was expected to be announced shortly.

“Has the Senate chairman ever been removed from the post in the past?” Justice Minallah asked Farooq H Naek, who represented Gillani. “What is the procedure for removal of the Senate chairman?” he further asked.

READ: IHC reserves verdict on Gillani’s petition against Senate chairman poll

The judge observed that the court abstains from unnecessarily intervening in the matter. “You can take the matter to a Senate committee,” he suggested. At this, the counsel said no committee has powers to dislodge the Senate chairman.

During the hearing, the top IHC judge suggested that the petitioner could send a reference to the National Assembly speaker under Article 63 to have his grievance redressed.

Senator Gillani moved the petition through his counsel Farooq H Naek requesting the high court to declare the result of the election of Senate chairman held on March 12 “illegal, unlawful and void”.