The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has nullified the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict on appointing judges in Punjab’s election tribunals. The five-member bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, delivered a ruling in favor of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) appeal.
SC remarks that constitutional bodies should cooperate and it would have been more appropriate for the Chief Justice of the LHC and the ECP to consult with each other before the LHC ruling. “There must be mutual respect between constitutional institutions—this is what the public expects,†the SC stated in its judgment.
The apex court declared the LHC’s June 2024 decision to appoint judges in eight election tribunals as void.
As a result, the SC annulled the notification related to those appointments. The SC clarified that the LHC’s ruling cannot serve as a judicial precedent.
Justices Jamal Khan Mandukhel and Aqeel Abbasi contributed additional notes while concurring with the decision.
The judgment pointed out that the LHC’s ruling failed to consider a crucial meeting between the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Justice of the LHC, which would have potentially altered the outcome.
The ECP had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court following the LHC’s June 12, 2024 decision, arguing that proper consultation between institutions had not occurred.
