ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.
SC registrar raised objections and returned the petition filed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ahsan Bhoon. The registrar stated that a larger bench of the apex court has issued a verdict and a review petition has also been dismissed. Therefore, he said a new petition cannot be filed once the hands down a verdict in a matter.
SCBA President Ahsan Bhoon filed the petition stated the apex court cannot assume responsibilities of a trial court under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution. He added this article doesn’t give right to appeal against a court verdict which negates the principle of even-handed justice.
He said the apex court defined the parameters for the use of Article 62(1)(f) in its verdicts. He suggested that an election challenged under this article be set aside only. The SCBA president further proposed that the penalty of life disqualification be handed only in election matters.
SCBA is seeking the termination of lifetime disqualification penalty against lawmakers. The petition contends that the rule for lifetime disqualification should only be applied to the extent of electoral disputes. The petition further demanded the court interpret articles 184 and 99 of the Constitution, while it also asked to make the federal government a partner in this case.
It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court had disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen under Article 62(1)(f). The article stipulates that a person cannot be qualified as a member of the national or provincial legislatures if he is not ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’.
