IHC suspends ECP's verdict on transfer of poll pleas to new tribunal

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order that transferred multiple poll rigging petitions to a new tribunal. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided over the case and also issued a contempt of court notice to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan, mandating his appearance at every hearing.

Previously, a four-member ECP bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, had approved the petitions from PML-N lawmakers seeking to transfer cases challenging their victory in the February 8 polls, which were contested by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidates. These petitions were filed by PML-N's Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Aqeel Khan, and Raja Khurram Nawaz against their PTI-backed rivals Muhammad Ali Bokhari, Shoaib Shaheen, and Aamir Mughal.

In response, the PTI-backed candidates appealed to the IHC against the ECP's decision, resulting in the court's initial order to prevent the new tribunals from hearing the cases.