ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (TNS): The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed registrar office’s objection against Electoral Reforms Act 2017 on Wednesday.
The chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar ruled out objection of registrar during the in-chamber hearing. The chief justice directed registrar to set dates for the case hearing.
The petition against Electoral Reforms Act is filed by Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rasheed, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Peoples’ Party, MNA Jamshed Dasti and nine other people.
In the petition filed under Article 184/3 of the Constitution,Imran Khan maintained that the amendments in Act are in violation of the Constitution as a disqualified legislator cannot become a party chief.
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.
The PTI leader also stated that the Act is against Political Parties Order 2002, and in direct conflict with Article 204 and 175 of the Constitution.
The petition said that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had to leave his designation of party leader after the Panama case verdict of July 28 disqualified him from Parliament.
Khan requested the court to null and void Article 9, 10 and 203 of Election Reforms Act, as he maintained that the amendments were put in the House, in view of giving constitutional cover to Nawaz Sharif for becoming party chief again.
The intra-party election of PML-N was held after the National Assembly passed the Elections Bill 2017, paving way for former prime minister Sharif to regain the chairmanship of the ruling party.
