Search
Close this search box.

Contact

Search
Close this search box.

No bigger cruelty than depriving women from voting: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that there was no cruelty bigger than depriving women from their right to vote.

The apex court issued notices to respondents in an appeal against the Peshawar High Court’s suo moto notice regarding barring women from casting votes during the by-elections in NA-5, Nowshera.

The case was heard by a two-judge bench comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry. During the course of proceedings, Athar Minallah, counsel for the appellant, argued that the Peshawar High Court (PHC) took suo moto notice over a complaint that women were not allowed to take part in the by-elections in NA-5.

He continued that under Article 184(3) and 199, the high court does not have jurisdiction to take suo moto notice on the issue. Athar Minallah maintained that if a complainant would have filed a petition regarding barring of women from casting votes then the court might take notice on the issue.

He argued that if no one was aggrieved in the constituency then the high court should not have stopped the whole election process and the results should be announced. Giving an example, he stated that elections were not stopped in NA-32, Upper Dir where only one woman cast her vote and no suo moto notice was taken in that case.The bench issued notices to the respondents and adjourned the hearing till September 10.

The News