Compliance: LHC takes up plea on local govt audit reports

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday admitted for hearing a petition by the leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly questioning non-presentation of audit reports of district governments before the Public Accounts Committee.

Earlier, the court had asked the government’s counsel to explain why the governor and the chief minister were not complying with court’s directive with regard to submission of the reports. The law officer submitted that the petition against the governor and the chief minister was not maintainable because they enjoyed immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution. Citing a Supreme Court judgement, Sheraz Zaka, counsel for the petitioner, said the petition was maintainable against the governor and the chief minister if a matter pertained to violation of constitutional obligations. The court then admitted the petition for hearing and issued notices to the government. At a previous hearing, the court had directed the governor and the chief minister to submit audit reports related to accounts of district governments before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The court had also sought a compliance report. Leader of Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said the audit reports had never been presented to the PAC. Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2016.