LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday rejected the request of PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja to immediately stop an election tribunal of a retired judge from working; however, issued notices to the federal government and the election commission.

Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad heard a petition filed by Advocate Raja challenging the amendment to the Election Act 2017 and the establishment of election tribunals comprising retired judges.

Barrister Sameer Khosa argued on behalf of the petitioner that the election tribunal, led by former judge Rana Zahid Mahmood, was not lawfully established as the presiding officer was not a former judge of the high court.

The counsel pointed out that therespondent tribunal member was removed from the office of the LHC judge in light of a 2009 Supreme Court`s judgement against the appointments of the judges made during the tenure of PCO chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar. Therefore, he said, the respondent was not qualified to be a member of an election tribunal. He also argued that forming election tribunals comprising both serving and retired judges of the high court undermined judicial independence.

He asked the court to immediately restrain the respondent tribunal, comprising retired judge Rana Zahid Mahmood, from hearing the election petitions regarding NA-128, Lahore.

The counselfurtherrequested the court to set aside the impugned amendment to the Election Act 2017 allowing the appointment of retired judges as election tribunals.

However, Justice Arshad turned down the petitioner`s request for stay order and sought replies from the respondents within a week.

Advocate Salman Raja had contested the Feb 8 general election as a PTI-backed candidate for NA-128, Lahore. However, Awn Chaudhry of Istehkam-iPakistan Party (IPP) had won from the constituency.

Awn secured 1,72,576 votes against 1,59,024 of Raja.