ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser has rejected the Election Bill, calling it an attack on an independent judiciary.
He warned the government against creating rifts between parliament and the judiciary.
Asad Qaiser said the electoral amendment bill was a violation of the constitution to stop the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict on reserved seats.
He reiterated that the constitution mandates the jurisdiction of state institutions.
He argued that all state institutions including Parliament and the Judiciary must operate within their respective jurisdictions.
The PTI leader alleged that the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s extension in office was to make the judiciary and the office of the CJP controversial.
He claimed that his party had rejected efforts to extend the CJP.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser demanded notification of the appointment of the chief justice in the CJP’s office.
ELECTION ACT AMENDING THE ACT
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday signed the “controversial” amendment to the Elections Act 2024 into law.
The gazette notification will be issued today (Thursday) as the bill has been sent to the Senate Secretariat.
The Senate passed the amendment to the Elections Act by a majority vote despite protest by the opposition PTI on August 6.
As the session began, chaired by Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Talal Chaudhry introduced the Electoral Amendment Bill. The opposition members took their seats and started protesting.
The amendment states that “a candidate who does not submit a party certificate before obtaining an election symbol will be considered an independent candidate. If the list of candidates for the reserved seats is not submitted within the specified period, no political party will be entitled to these seats.
It also provides that any candidate’s declaration of political party affiliation shall be irrevocable.
