Islamabad: The Supreme Court has scheduled Friday to hear the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) petition seeking to have all six challenges pending in various High Courts against PTI leaders including party chief Imran Khan in one High Court. A request has been made to transfer the notice of contempt of court.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial, comprising Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Athar Minullah will hear the ECP petitions on November 15.
It may be noted that last month a set of six petitions by the ECP had pleaded with the Supreme Court that since the High Courts had granted interim relief to the PTI leaders and allowed the ECP to continue hearing the matter but No final order has been issued till its conclusion. In the petitions, PTI leaders were avoiding appearing before the commission.
It said that the High Courts’ orders which restrained the election watchdog from taking action against PTI leaders have left the ECP in limbo.
Later, in another set of petitions, the ECP argued that the High Court orders were illegal and unconstitutional, effectively suspending Section 10 of the Election Act, 2017, making the ECP a PTI leader. Stopped taking ‘adverse action’ against
It may be noted that the ECP had issued contempt notices against the PTI leaders and asked the PTI leaders to explain their stand before the commission in person or through their counsel.
However, party leaders challenged the notices in various High Courts, including the Lahore High Court (LHC), Sindh High Court, Islamabad High Court and the LHC-Rawalpindi Bench, on the grounds that But Section 10. The Election Act 2017 was against the Constitution.
Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017 is a statutory provision that deals with the power of the ECP to punish contempt.
The PTI leaders also sought relief in the cases from the High Courts.
