LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik has turned down a request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to appoint district and additional district and sessions judges on election tribunals for disposal of poll petitions.

After examining the request, the chief justice observed there was no provision in the law or the rules for the high court to appoint judicial officers as election tribunals for the aforesaid purpose, said a statement issued by the court`s media cell.

Declining the commission`s request, the CJ, however, provided a list of 38 retired district & sessions judges to it, the statement added.

However, the CJ noted that the retired judicial officers were not under the LHC administrative control, and their appointment was subject to their consent which might be obtained by the ECP if so desired.

The ECP did notextend the contracts ofelection tribunals of Punjab after Aug 31 and requested the LHC to name sitting judges of the court for appointment as election tribunals.

Earlier, the chief justice had declined a similar request for appointment of high court judges on election tribunals and the commission later asked for nomination of serving D&SJs/ AD&SJs.

The CJ also rejected this request and gave names of retired judicial officers to the commission for their appointment as tribunal members.