Changing systems: Petition withdrawn as LG system restored

Petitioners argued that removing the local body system and police ordinance violated Article 140 of the constitution.

KARACHI:

The petition filed with the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the commissionerate system and amendments in the Local Government system, Police Act and Land Revenue Act was withdrawn on Wednesday.

Senior journalist Ajmal Dehlvi, former minister and veteran lawyer Barrister Habib-ur-Rahman and prominent businessman Arshad Vohra filed a petition that maintained that wrapping up the local bodies system and police ordinance was a violation of Article 140 of the constitution. The article gives power to the lowest strata such as union councils.

When the petition came up for hearing on Wednesday, the men’s lawyer, Khalid Ali G Kazni advocate said that as the government has restored the Local Government System 2002, the petition becomes ineffective. An SHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Musheer Alam and Justice Imam Bux Baloch allowed the trio to withdraw their petition.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2011.