Govt’s move to abolish lifetime disqualification in Election Act challenged

LAHORE: The government’s recent decision to eliminate the provision of lifetime disqualification in the Election Act has been challenged in the Lahore High Court.

Citizen Mashkoor Hussain, represented by his legal counsel Nadeem Sarwar Advocate, has filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court, naming the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the federal government, and other relevant parties as respondents.

In his petition, Hussain argues that the government’s amendment to the Election Act has effectively removed the lifetime disqualification clause, reducing it to a mere five years.

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He contends that the Supreme Court had previously provided a comprehensive interpretation of Article 62 (I) (F) of the Constitution. Therefore, Hussain asserts that amending the act after the Supreme Court’s clarification amounts to a direct violation of Article 175 (Section C) of the Constitution.

Hussain has appealed to the Lahore High Court to nullify the amendment made to the Election Act, setting the stage for a legal battle over the contested changes to electoral disqualification provisions.