LG representatives: LHC declines to administer oaths

The chief justice has refused to spare oath-giving officers

ISLAMABAD: The judiciary in Punjab has declined the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s request to give its officers for administrating oath to the newly elected local government representatives.

A senior ECP officer told The Express Tribune the commission sent a request to the Lahore High Court chief justice for appointing judicial officers to administer oaths but he declined. The same request was also forwarded to the Sindh High Court, which accepted it.

Though the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 does not mention oaths to be administered by judicial officers, the Punjab Government Act 2013 clearly states that the oath shall be given by judicial officers. “Therefore, it is a legal requirement in the case of Punjab,” the ECP official said.

The commission, he added, was now considering other options. It may ask the returning officers or request the LHC to reconsider its decision.

“Due to delays in oath-taking, the commission has been unable to give the schedule for elections on reserved seats in district councils,” the official said. The oaths are expected to be administered next week.

The first phase of LG polls in Punjab was held on October 31. Elected members have not started working due to delays in their oath-taking. The notification of all returned candidates was issued in Punjab on December 21.  Two ECP officials, however, said a cold war was going on between the ECP and superior courts on several fronts.

One of the reasons the judiciary has shown disinterest in taking part in the election process has been the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) continuous criticism of judicial officers, who performed as ROs in general elections in 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.