LAHORE, April 5: The Lahore High Court (LHC) stopped returning officers on Friday from asking irrelevant questions during the scrutiny of nomination papers of candidates, saying it was tarnishing the image of the judiciary. The LHC also put restrictions on the media covering the scrutiny process.

“All district returning officers/returning officers are directed to immediately refrain from asking random intrusive and inquisitive questions that have no nexus with information given in the nomination papers or do not arise from the objections raised by the other side or from the information collected or received by the RO from the authorised agencies like NAB, SBP, FBR and Nadra as per the direction issued by the ECP,” said an interim order issued by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.

The judge had taken up a petition seeking implementation of articles 62 and 63 of the constitution in order to stop ineligible candidates from contesting the coming elections and challenging all appointments made by the federal and provincial governments in violation of a ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Justice Shah ordered that the declaration of a candidate on oath submitted along with the nomination papers shall be questioned by the returning officer only if tangible and credible material to the contrary was available on the record in shape of nomination papers or objections by other side or information procured by the returning officer through the authorised agencies.

He directed the ECP and all district returning officers not to allow the electronic media to telecast judicial proceedings from inside the courtrooms. However, journalists could report the proceedings.

Justice Shah observed that the objective of the directives was to safeguard the image of the judiciary and to maintain that the judiciary was “there to achieve fair and free elections and not to carry out a witch-hunt and demean the politicians of our country”.

Earlier during the hearing, the judge took notice of the irrelevant questions being asked by the returning officers and reported by the media and observed that such actions were tarnishing the image of the institution of the judiciary as a whole.

Justice Shah directed the court registrar to ensure that the order was immediately complied with so that the unfortunate negative impression generated against the district judiciary was washed away in no time.

The further hearing was adjourned to Monday.