LAHORE:The Lahore High Court (LHC) has set aside disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against officials involved in irregularities during their deployment in Daska by-polls.
The court held that the ECP had no jurisdiction to initiate the proceedings against the officials as they no longer remained election officials, after declaration of the fate of the election in the constituency.
“It is observed that if the Commission thinks that the petitioners (officials) were involved in any subversive activities during their deployment in election duty, it would be at liberty to refer their matter to their parent departments for initiation of proceedings under the relevant law”, the court added.
Justice Shujaat Ali Khan passed the orders while allowing petitions filed by the officials, including former deputy commissioner Sialkot Zeeshan Javed Lashari, challenging the disciplinary proceedings initiated by ECP against them. The court, after hearing arguments of all parties, had reserved the verdict on November 25 and it was announced on Wednesday.
The petitioners had challenged the disciplinary proceedings initiated by the ECP on January 5, 2022. They submitted that the disciplinary proceedings were illegal and unconstitutional. They pleaded with the court to set aside the proceedings and show cause notices issued to them.
The ECP had started disciplinary action against the officials for their involvement in irregularities during by-polls of the National Assembly’s constituency NA-75 Daska (Sialkot) held in February 2021.