ECP says judges will head Punjab poll tribunal

The Punjab tribunals for general election disputes have been appointed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following several months of postponement.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has eight election tribunals, including four active and the same number of retired judges, which were notified by the commission on Thursday.

Serving judges Sultan Tanvir Ahmed, Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry, Anwaar Hussain, and Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar were among the tribunal members.

Retired judges Rana Zahid Mehmood, Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa, Zafar Iqbal, and Abdul Shakoor Paracha were also present.

Three days prior to the announcement, the Supreme Court had overturned an LHC order stating that the ECP was required to designate judges selected by the chief justice of the high court as members of electoral tribunals.

After parliament amended the statute to permit the appointment of retired high court judges as election tribunals, the electoral watchdog contested the LHC’s May ruling in July.

The commission raised doubts in its petition on who has the last word in tribunal appointments—the LHC or the ECP.