HEC devolution challenged in SC
Bench headed by CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry to hear petition against devolution on April 11.
ISLAMABAD:
A petition was filed against the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday.
The petition, filed by Arshad Ali Chaudhry, prays that the devolution of the HEC to the provinces is unconstitutional and unlawful. The petitioner also requested the court to declare all actions taken for the devolution of HEC contrary to the constitution null and void.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will hear the petition on April 11.
The Higher Eduction Commission is being devolved to the provinces under the 18th amendment plan. The functions of the HEC, except maintaining standards of higher education, are also being transferred to the provinces after the re-drafting its Ordinance, clauses which do not clash with the 18th amendment will remain untouched.
The HEC chairman Javaid Laghari had earlier termed the devolution of the body as unconstitutional.
Laghari said the HEC had constitutional protection and was an autonomous body. He stated that the commission was not part of the concurrent list, hence it could not be devolved.
He further claimed that HEC authorities were not taken into confidence before the announcement of devolution despite repeated requests to the constitutional amendment committee.
A petition was filed against the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday.
The petition, filed by Arshad Ali Chaudhry, prays that the devolution of the HEC to the provinces is unconstitutional and unlawful. The petitioner also requested the court to declare all actions taken for the devolution of HEC contrary to the constitution null and void.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will hear the petition on April 11.
The Higher Eduction Commission is being devolved to the provinces under the 18th amendment plan. The functions of the HEC, except maintaining standards of higher education, are also being transferred to the provinces after the re-drafting its Ordinance, clauses which do not clash with the 18th amendment will remain untouched.
The HEC chairman Javaid Laghari had earlier termed the devolution of the body as unconstitutional.
Laghari said the HEC had constitutional protection and was an autonomous body. He stated that the commission was not part of the concurrent list, hence it could not be devolved.
He further claimed that HEC authorities were not taken into confidence before the announcement of devolution despite repeated requests to the constitutional amendment committee.