LHC rejects petition seeking banning polls during sacred Islamic calendar months
Pakistan
Says it is not maintainable, falls under Federal Shariat Court’s preview
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected a petition, requesting to ban holding elections during the four sacred months of Islamic calendar, while declaring the same as unmaintainable.
In his written verdict on the petition filed by citizen Fahad Aziz, Justice Raheel Kamran said declaring Clause 3 of Section 170 (a) of the Election Act 2017 unconstitutional was not maintainable.
Explaining his reasoning, the learned judge noted that pronouncing any law against Islam and Quran/Sunnah was the sole prerogative of Federal Shariat Court as mentioned in Article 203 (d) of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court or any of the high courts had no authority to interfere in the jurisdiction of the Federal Shariat Court, the judgment read.
In his petition, Aziz had contended that the months of Ziquad, Zilhaj, Rajab and Muharram were sacred, necessitating utmost respect. Holding elections in the past during these months had resulted in violence and killings, he said, adding that the Clause 3 of Section 170 (a) of the Election Act 2017 was against Islamic principles.
