Islamabad: In a significant ruling, Pakistan Supreme Court has held that the October 10 polls in the country were not conducted as per the newly amended Constitution of President Pervez Musharraf but they took place under the election laws of 2002.

Disposing of an election petition, a three judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq, said that the general elections were not held under the Legal Framework Order (LFO) issued by Musharraf, incorporating the controversial Constitutional amendments, but they took place under the Conduct of Election Order 2002.

Justice Farooq pointed out that the conduct of elections had nothing to do with the LFO and the Constitution as they were kept in abeyance due to the military rule.

So "the conditions laid down in the Conduct of Election Order 2002 have an over- riding effect", local daily 'The News' quoted him as saying.

Political parties said the court's interpretation, making clear distinction between the LFO and the Election Order, strengthened the position of the anti-Musharraf political parties which have taken a firm stand against his Constitutional amendments that conferred more powers to the President and country's military.

Officials in the Musharraf government, including Law Minister Khalid Ranjha, have argued in recent weeks that the newly amended Constitution was already in vogue as the political parties which contested the polls were elected under new laws brought in by the President.

PTI