Another petition filed in SC against 26th Amendment

ISLAMABAD: Another petition challenging the 26th Amendment was Wednesday filed with the Supreme Court praying to declare that the Act violated the salient features of the Constitution.

The petition was filed by former president of Lahore High Court Bar Association Taufeeq Asif under Article 184(3) of the Constitution making the federation through secretary law and justice, secretary defense, Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) as well as the Supreme Court registrar as respondents.

The petitioner prayed the apex court to constitute a full court for hearing the instant petition as well as other petitions that had also challenged the 26th Amendment.

The petitioner submitted that the Supreme Court had earlier while hearing his constitutional petition in 2014 held that no amendment or legislation could be made that violated the basic structure of the Constitution.

Hence, the petitioner prayed the apex court that in view of its past judgment, the court declare the Act as against the salient features of the constitution and set aside it as well.

He submitted that as all the judges of the apex court had taken oath of protecting the Constitution; therefore, they were competent to hear the petitions, challenging the 26th Amendment.