SC forms bench to hear Qadri's plea
10 February, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has constituted a three-member bench, headed by him, to take up a constitutional petition filed by Dr Tahirul Qadri for reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The bench will take up the petition on Monday (tomorrow). The court has already issued notices to federal government, ECP and other respondents. The court is likely to seek record from Parliamentary Committee of the National Assembly about the appointment of members of the ECP as well as federation's stance over the matter as it starts the hearing. Both major players in country's politics – PPP and PML-N – will defend the appointments of the chief election commissioner and its members. Meanwhile, Barrister Zafarullah of Watan Party moved a petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the expected dissolution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The petitioner stated that the chief election commissioner and members had been appointed under articles 213 and 218 of the constitution after consultation with all political parties, and they could not be removed on mere desire of some individual. He stated that political parties like the PTI and people like Dr Tahirul Qadri wanted the elections to be delayed. He said that the request for the dissolution of the ECP should be rejected and termed unconstitutional. Barrister Zafarullah filed the petition before the SC's Lahore Registry. End.
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