Government has described as petty claims by the opposition MMD that it is to blame for the nullification of its Kapiri Mposhi and Lukulu West Parliamentary seats.

Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said Government had no hand in the dispensation of justice in line with the principle of the separation of powers among the three arms of Government.

Mr Sakeni said the Constitution provided for a losing candidate to file a petition when dissatisfied with the election result and that this was neither the first nor the last election to be nullified.

"The key to democracy is for players to respect the rule of law and the starting point for MMD is to learn to respect the institutions like the courts of law which are custodians of our justice system," Mr Sakeni said.

MMD Vice-President Brian Chituwo accused Government of wanting to destroy the opposition after the nullification of the two parliamentary seats by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

But Mr Sakeni who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister reminded Dr Chituwo that the PF Government would not sink so low as to start mutilating the laws that it swore to uphold.

He said the MMD should not use Government as a scapegoat for its dwindling political fortunes resulting from the party's failed leadership.

"History is replete with examples in which both the ruling and opposition parties had their seats annulled or upheld by the courts of law after being petitioned by losing candidates," he said.