PLGA 2019 challenged in Supreme Court

Three-member bench clubs petition with case against Sindh Local Govt Act, issues notices

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued notices to the Attorney General of Pakistan and the Punjab Advocate General over a constitution petition filed against the Punjab Local Government Act 2019.

The notices were issued by a three-member bench of the SC, presided by Justice Mushir Alam, as it heard a petition filed by four former representatives of Punjab local government against the dissolution of previous local bodies system working under the Local Government Act 2013.

Lawyer Nawazish Pirzada argued that elected representatives had taken the oath of office on December 31, 2016. “The Punjab government has brought a new act to advocate the violation of various provisions of the Constitution,” the counsel argued. “The government cannot pass legislation that creates a vacuum.”

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Pirzada claimed the promulgation of the Local Government Act 2019, had impeded the elected local government. He added that if the government wanted to introduce a new local government system, it could have done so once the term of elected representatives expired.

“All the powers of the elected representatives have been given to the administration,” the lawyer added.

The apex court inquired whether the petitioners have applied for the suspension of the act.

“No separate application has been filed but there is a plea in the case,” the lawyer responded.

The bench ordered to club petitions on local government laws of Punjab and Sindh and adjourned further hearings for an indefinite period.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2020.