Limiting disqualification to 5 years is not unconstitutional: LHC

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) has remarked that limiting disqualification to five years is not an unconstitutional step.

The LHC on Saturday issued a 10-page written decision on dismissing a petition filed against lifetime disqualification.

According to the decision, the law for five years disqualification is as per the Constitution. Clause 2 of Section 232 of Election Act 2017 is not in clash with Article 62 of the Constitution, it said.

According to the decision, no one can be deprived of basic rights under Article 8 of the Constitution. It is pertinent to mention here that petitioner Shabbir Ismail had challenged the step of limiting lifetime disqualification to five years disqualification.

The petitioner had taken the plea parliament limited lifetime disqualification to five years through an amendment in law. As per rules, parliament cannot make an amendment to lifetime disqualification law through specific members.

The petitioner had requested the court to nullify the law through which disqualification had been limited to five years.