President Signs Elections Amendment Bill into Law, Restricts Independent Lawmakers from Party Switching

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has officially signed the Elections Act (Amendment Bill) 2024 into law, effectively preventing independent lawmakers from switching political parties. According to reports from ARY News, the bill has now been forwarded to the Senate Secretariat for the issuance of a gazette notification later today.

This legislative move comes just a day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenged the amendment in the Supreme Court. The PTI, led by Barrister Gohar, filed a constitutional petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, seeking to have the amendment declared null and void, labeling it unconstitutional and illegal.

The PTI’s petition names the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan as respondents in the case. The party has also requested the court to immediately prevent the Election Commission from reallocating reserved seats to other political parties under the new amendment.