National Assembly passes amendment to Elections Bill-2024

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday approved the [The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024].

As per the details, this bill was presented by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Briefing the legislators, he said that the purpose of the amendment is to speed up the processing of applications related to the elections of the National Assembly, Senate, Provincial Assemblies and local governments.

He explained that due to the workload on serving judges, the proposed amendment seeks to restore the original provision of Article 140, which made retired High Court judges eligible for appointment as members of election tribunals. goes

The Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 was passed despite strong opposition in the heated session of the National Assembly.

The Bill Committee under the Chairmanship of Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs Iradat Sharif submitted a detailed report approving the legislation.

The bill, tabled by the law minister, allows for the appointment of retired judges to election tribunals, a move contested by legal experts citing constitutional conflicts with the Election Commission’s prerogatives.

Barrister Gohar raised concerns, citing the bill’s inconsistency with a recent Supreme Court order, questioning its legality under existing judicial precedents.

Prime Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended Parliament’s legislative authority, asserting its right to make laws independently of judicial oversight, a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister for Law Nazeer Tarar.

However, opposition figures including Alia Kamran expressed concern over possible misuse of judicial appointments and its impact on electoral transparency.