Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Monday challenged the Election (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the Supreme Court, asking the court to declare it ‘unconstitutional’. The ex-premier filed a petition in the apex court through Advocate Uzair Karamat Bhandari against the Bill, which was recently passed by the National Assembly and restricted overseas Pakistanis from voting in general elections. The petition prayed that the apex court should declare the amendment unconstitutional, ultra vires and void ab initio, and to strike it down.
It emphasised that Section 94(1) of the Elections Act 2021 remains the “existing law” and that all institutions, “especially the ECP and NADRA, are bound to act in accordance with it.” The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the electoral watchdog and all relevant authorities to take necessary steps to provide overseas Pakistanis the right to vote; especially in the upcoming general elections.
“In particular… direct the ECP to grant the necessary approvals and funds to NADRA for developing the new I-Voting System as detailed in the NADRA proposal within a strict timeframe,” read the petition. The petition also requested the SC to grant a continuing mandamus and supervise the process of putting in place a system for ensuring that overseas Pakistanis are permitted to vote.
