A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging the recently enacted Elections (Second Amendment) Act 2024. The petitioner, Mashkoor Hussain, contends that four amendments to the law were made to overturn a previous Supreme Court decision, and seeks to have them declared null and void.
The petition argues that the amendments were passed without proper discussion and approval from the relevant parliamentary committee, violating procedural norms. It pleads that the Lahore High Court review the amendments and stay their implementation until a final decision is reached.
The Elections Act (Second Amendment Bill) 2024 was signed into law by President Asif Zardari on Thursday, after being passed by majority votes from both the National Assembly and the Senate. However, the petition raises concerns about the constitutionality of the Act and its procedural enactment.
The petitioner names the federal government, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the president, and the prime minister through his secretary as respondents. The petition seeks to prevent any changes to election procedures from taking effect during the ongoing judicial review.
This development comes after the PTI party also challenged the Election Amendment Act in the Supreme Court. The opposition has raised concerns about the amendments, arguing that they were passed without proper debate and consultation.
The Lahore High Court’s decision on this petition will have significant implications for the electoral process in Pakistan. If the court declares the amendments null and void, it could lead to a re-evaluation of the electoral laws and procedures.
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