The Lahore High Court (LHC) has scheduled a hearing for a plea challenging the appointment of retired judges to election tribunals. Justice Shahid Karim will hear the petitions, filed by Salman Akram Raja and others, on July 15.

The petitioners have requested the court to declare the Election Ordinance 2024, which allows for the appointment of retired judges to election tribunals in Punjab, as illegal and unconstitutional. They have also sought to bar retired judges from forming election tribunals until a final verdict is reached on the plea.

It is noteworthy that President Asif Ali Zardari signed the bill into law on July 9, allowing retired high court judges to be appointed to election tribunals to settle electoral disputes. The Senate passed the Election Amendment Bill on July 8, following its passage in the National Assembly on June 28, amid opposition protests.