MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition filed against the appointment of a member of the AJK Election Commission, Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of the High Court Justice Sardar Liaquat Hussain and Justice Chaudhry Khalid Rasheed heard the case.
The petition, filed through Advocate Sardar Usman Qasim, stated that the said Member of the Election Commission has never been a Secretary to the Government; he has only received time-scale promotions, and therefore, he is not eligible for this post.
According to the petitioner, this appointment is a violation of Article 50(5) of the Constitution of Azad Kashmir, as the said person has never served in the grade of BPS-21 or higher, which is a mandatory requirement for this post.
The petition prayed the court to declare the appointment illegal and that he be removed from office.
However, the High Court, after hearing the arguments, dismissed the writ petition.
Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani took the oath as a member of the Election Commission on January 13, 2025. Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Abdul Rashid Sulehriya administered the oath to him.
