SC moved against legislators for voting in favour of controversial Election Bill

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 Lahore registry, ARY News reported on Monday.

Gauhar Nawaz Sindhoo of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  petitioned the apex court, pleading to disqualify those members of the National Assembly 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 through the National Assembly the Election Bill 2017, a clause of which allows a person ineligible to be member of the assembly to hold a party office, in order to render ineffective the Supreme Court disqualification verdict.

The petitioner said those who voted in favour of the Bill acted against the constitutional provisions and teachings of Islam, 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 Oct 7, a petition challenging the controversial clause of the Election Bill 2017 was filed in the Islamabad High Court.

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) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the law.

Advocate Zulifqar Ahmed Bhutta had filed a petition in the apex court against the Bill, contending that any individual who was disqualified by the Supreme Court or any court for not being honest and truthful will be able to control legislation and voting in the National Assembly as members of parliament will not be able to vote on important matters of their own free will for they will be bound to the decision of the head of the party.