News Desk |
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled on Monday, April 15 that the Senate Chairperson, Sadiq Sanjrani, was eligible to assume the position of acting president in absence of the president of Pakistan, Arif Alvi.
Justice Aamir Farooq of the IHC announced the verdict on a petition submitted by a citizen, Afzal Shinwari who questioned Sanjrani’s eligibility to serve as acting president.
Petitioner’s Argument Before the Court
The petitioner through his counsel had contended before the court that Sanjrani was not eligible to assume the office of acting president under Article 49 of the Constitution.
A native of Balochistan, Sanjrani was elected Senate chairperson in March 2018 after securing 57 votes through secret balloting in the 104-member Upper House of the parliament.
He said that the minimum age for the president was 45 years under Article 49 of the Constitution but the incumbent Senate chairperson had still not reached that age.
Therefore, the petitioner requested, Sanjrani did not meet this criterion and pleaded to the court to stop him from discharging his responsibilities as acting president in the absence of the president. After hearing the arguments, the bench had reserved its judgment on the petition in December last year.
Sanjrani’s Election as Senate Chairperson
A native of Balochistan, Sanjrani was elected Senate chairperson in March 2018 after securing 57 votes through secret balloting in the 104-member Upper House of the parliament, against the ruling party at the time the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s candidate Raja Zafarul Haq, who managed to bag 46 votes.
Read more: Sadiq Sanjrani elected as Chairman Senate
His election was supported by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and independent senators from Balochistan. Born on April 14, 1978, Sadiq Sanjrani, is the youngest-ever head of the country’s Upper House.