Supreme Court Overturns Lahore High Court’s Verdict on Punjab Election Tribunals

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has overturned the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) June 12 verdict on establishing election tribunals in Punjab. A five-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, announced the reserved verdict, favoring the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) appeal.

Background

The LHC had formed eight election tribunals on May 29 to handle election petitions related to national and provincial assemblies. However, the ECP challenged this decision, arguing it was beyond the LHC’s jurisdiction.

Key Points of the Verdict

• A single bench decision cannot be considered a judicial precedent.
• LHC failed to consider the absence of a meeting between the Chief Election Commissioner and LHC Chief Justice.
• ECP will appoint four new tribunals, in addition to the four established by LHC.
• Number of tribunals should be based on caseload.
• Reducing judges amidst pending cases is unfair.

CJP’s Remarks

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa stressed that implementing the constitution would resolve many legal issues. He criticized media misreporting and spreading falsehoods, stating it’s not the Supreme Court’s role to issue continuous clarifications.

Next Steps

The ECP has been ordered to establish the remaining tribunals within a week. CJP Isa warned against attacking institutions and emphasized the importance of completing the parliamentary term without stay orders.

This verdict marks a significant development in Pakistan’s electoral process, reaffirming the ECP’s authority in establishing election tribunals.

Also Read: Pakistan Vows to Make Current IMF Program Its Last