ISLAMABAD, MAR 24 (DNA) – The Islamabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gilani against the election of Sadiq Sanjrani as the Senate chairman.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah declared that Sadiq Sanjrani will remain the Senate chairman as the petition is not maintainable. In its 13-page written verdict, the IHC Chief Justice dismissed Gilani’s petition as not maintainable.
Announcing the reserved verdict, Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) hoped that the supremacy of Parliament will be ensured and parliament’s issues would be resolved in parliament.
The verdict further stated that the court cannot intervene in the parliamentary affairs under Article 69 of the constitution. Earlier, the IHC Chief Justice reserved the verdict on the maintainability of the petition challenging the Senate chairman’s election.
The petition was filed by PPP’s Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani against the outcome of the Senate chairman election. The former prime minister’s lawyer Farooq H Naek, in his arguments, told the court that his client received 49 votes but seven votes were rejected.
When asked, Naek told the court that they have challenged the Senate election, not its procedure. “Parliament’s business or procedure were not part of the March 12 Senate chairman’s election,” he added. On the court’s inquiry, it was informed that the Senate chairman can be removed through a no-confidence motion.
The court remarked “If Yousaf Raza think that he has the support of more members then why does he not table a no-trust move against the chairman.” Naek responded that the PPP had not yet accepted Sadiq Sanjrani as the Senate chairman. Sadiq Sanjrani was elected Senate chairman after securing 48 votes on March 12.
The PPP leader received 42 votes but seven votes in his favour were rejected during the counting process. The petition said that Gilani should be declared Senate chairman as seven votes in his favour were rejected illegally. The notification issued on March 12 should be suspended. = DNA
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