- Supreme Court defers formation of election tribunals, directs ECP and Lahore High Court’s chief justice to consult.
- Stay order issued on Lahore High Court’s verdict until next hearing.
- Supreme Court emphasizes the need for consultation before finalizing election tribunal formation.
The Supreme Court has deferred the formation of election tribunals, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the chief justice of the Lahore High Court to hold consultations on the matter. The court also issued a stay order on the implementation of the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict until the next hearing, stating that the petition will remain pending until the consultation is completed.
This decision follows the ECP’s appeal against an LHC ruling concerning the establishment of election tribunals. The Supreme Court’s decision came as a five-member bench heard the ECP’s plea against the LHC’s recent verdict constituting eight election tribunals for hearing election petitions regarding national and provincial assembly constituencies. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, included Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.
Chief Justice Isa expressed frustration over the objections raised by the PTI lawyer regarding the larger bench, stating that such concerns should have been presented on the first day of proceedings. He emphasized that the court would not permit its processes to be scandalized.
The Supreme Court has issued a stay on the LHC’s decision and suspended the ECP’s panel summons and tribunal formation notifications until the next hearing. The court suggested that if there had been a meeting between the ECP and the chief justice of the Lahore High Court, the issue might have already been resolved.
The Supreme Court’s order maintains that the petition will remain pending until the ECP and the Lahore High Court’s chief justice complete their consultation. This decision underscores the importance of coordination and agreement between key judicial and electoral bodies in the formation of election tribunals.
