The Chief Justice of Pakistan dismissed the registrar office’s objections to petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar during the hearing overruled the objections of the registrar who had directed the petitioners to approach the ‘relevant forum’ for redressal of their objections.
The chief justice then directed the registrar to fix the petition for hearing.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rasheed, Pakistan Peoples’ Party, MNA Jamshed Dasti and several others, filed petitions against the Election Act 2017.
The petition is filed under Article 184/3 of the Constitution.
In the petition, PTI Chairman maintained that the amendments in the act are in violation of the Constitution as a disqualified legislator cannot become a party chief.
Khan also stated that the act is against Political Parties Order 2002, and in direct conflict with Articles 204 and 175 of the Constitution.
By passing an amendment to the law, which generally pertains to the holding of polls in the country, the ruling party had allowed disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif to regain leadership of the party.