LHC summons secretary over delay in CM’s election

CJ Bhatti says let record be produced to pass an appropriate order


Rana Yasif April 08, 2022
Maryam congratulates Hamza on 'being elected as new Punjab CM' in a symbolic session held by the opposition on April 6, 2022. SCREENGRAB

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LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday summoned the Punjab Assembly secretary along with the relevant record pertaining to the election of the provincial chief minister.

Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti heard separate petitions filed by PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.

Justice Bhatti, however, turned down the request of Mazari's counsel seeking entry into the Punjab Assembly. “Let the record be produced before the court to pass an appropriate order in this regard,” the LHC CJ said.

Hamza and Mazari had filed two separate petitions in the high court in connection with the election for the Punjab CM’s slot.

Hamza had urged the court to declare authorities concerned to convene the session of the assembly at the earliest for voting on the CM seat while Mazari had sought cancellation of the PA speaker’s ruling that had stripped him of his acting speaker's powers.

At the outset of the proceedings, Mazari’s counsel informed the bench that Speaker Pervaiz Elahi illegally withdrew the powers and had been causing obstructions in the CM’s election.

Justice Bhatti asked why the speaker couldn’t withdraw power if he could delegate them.

The counsel for Mazari responded that Speaker Elahi was a nominee for the CM slot; therefore, he could not perform duties as a speaker.

“The deputy speaker is carrying out the duties of the speaker under Clause (3) of Article 53 read with Article 127 of the Constitution,” the counsel informed. “As per Clause (3) of Article 53, when the office of speaker is vacant, or the speaker is absent or is unable to perform his functions due to any cause, the deputy speaker shall act as speaker,” he apprised the court.

Province without CM

Hamza Shehbaz’s counsel said the province was without a chief executive and the cabinet members were following their vested interests. “The PML-N lawmakers are not being allowed to enter the assembly,” he said, adding that Elahi had resorted to delaying tactics to sabotage the election.

He argued that April 3 was fixed for voting but the house was adjourned till April 6. “On April 5, an order was issued that the election will be held on April 16,” he said, adding that Deputy Speaker Mazari defied the order as per the constitutional responsibility, saying the house will meet on April 6 as scheduled.

“Since that day, Speaker Elahi started taking things personally and violated the assembly rules to obstruct the election,” the lawyer claimed.

CJ Bhatti removed the objections on the petition that had earlier been raised by the registrar and directed the advocate general of Punjab to appear before the court. The hearing was adjourned till April 11 after the court was told of the unavailability of the advocate general.

Plea before LHC

Earlier in the day, PML-N leader and opposition's nominee for the post of the Punjab chief minister Hamza submitted a petition seeking the intervention of the court in the election for the CM.

However, the LHC registrar raised objections over both petitions, stating that the assembly proceedings could not be challenged before courts. However, PML-N counsel Azam Nazir Tarar asked for the petition to still be fixed for hearing, saying they will give arguments on the objection as well.

Read: PML-N succeeds in filing no-trust move against Elahi

In his petition, Hamza urged the court to direct concerned authorities to convene a session of the Punjab Assembly after fulfillment of due requirements and hold voting for the chief minister's post without any delay.

The petition also requested the court to declare actions – adjourning the session, sealing the premises, and stopping lawmakers from voting – illegal. The post of the chief minister has been vacant since April 1 but elections were being delayed to elect a new chief executive, the petition read.

The plea also sought the convening of the session at the earliest and election for the post of the CM without any adjournments. It also requested the court to ensure there would be no obstruction during the voting for the election of the CM.

In his petition, Hamza made the chief secretary, speaker/deputy speaker, the PA secretary, Elahi and the Punjab inspector general of police respondents.

He contended in his petition that the facts and circumstances have triggered a constitutional crisis of a magnitude not witnessed in the parliamentary history of the province.

“The matter is of great public importance relatable to enforcement of several fundamental rights of the citizens of the province, including the petitioner. Therefore, the petitioner seeks kind indulgence of this court, to issue the declarations and directions prayed above.”

Punjab Assembly session

The session was summoned on April 2, 2022, for the CM’s election, which was contested by Hamza and senior PML-Q leader and PA Speaker Elahi. The election was supposed to take place on April 3 but the session was adjourned after a ruckus.

Deputy Speaker Mazari adjourned the proceedings till April 6. But on April 5, the PA secretariat issued a notification extending the sitting date of the house to April 16. Later, another order was issued stating the house will meet on April 6.

The PA secretary and other administrative officers on the orders of the speaker sealed the PA and none of the lawmakers were allowed to enter the building. The PML-N and its allies held a symbolic session at a local hotel in Lahore wherein Hamza was selected as the chief minister.

COMMENTS (4)

syedmerjhmed | 2 years ago | Reply 44434234u244l242424r2l42424j2423j423 i3424242423b4j42 4i2423424232324324i4l24432443242423424j2rj3i 34242434v42423ri 3244432432j42jl2n3i43 44h242423o4l23r2b23424l4242424j23rj2n3i42o424l24242r2332l3i323233j323j3lj23iu3h2 3h3h33h3l342342b4242i234ho24l2424242342423j42i342h44l424242r23jh 23o2l423444i vj24n23ljnv2i4h 234234h234o2352h3l4242424242bri234h24h24h4o2 4l42424242rb3jrn32jn2 4l4424242jr32jn4 4l24i23424234j34nv2j35n2o34l24242423425h23bvjv2 3i4l442424423nr2j3n 324l2424i234234j2r3j2n 4h424h24o24l23b32u42424242424242h4i24u h24h242i42o242l24 242i24b2224iuh2o4242l4224h242l4j2ni4uh h4l42432ir2h4o24h24o 2425ho234l234242h4b2rhbl2j3 4ih25234i23l42423424242b23i23jol2342432h4324i2423br o32l43243243242jr23r il234h2o424l24424234i2423423b2l4inui2h34uh24l2i42432br32h4324h235o 42l42424i242r23h 4uhovl423i42344234423h4inx 3x42424v44i42h42424i234l234324blx 42424344hi3uoh4h23o2332423432l43232432423432432l3 2324234234324 324234234234u32432b34x32h432 i 5i53533s4bj5j345ihs 35h355js35nsi35js3i 5hs34ih5i345b53j453h54545353 5345353554374424523h4u42424 ihu22 3uh424242jh3br 2v h3i2h42424h2o5h2342424hb2423j42 i4h234h24ui2234324b4hj 234 3jhb rh2i4h2i4h24o2vh23442j3rbk23j4 234i2 h4o24h242424jb32 4ki234h4242h42424v242jrvn23 j2h3o 4h2v2h223k5h24vi2 342hv4i2 3v4iu3 24bj2 42vhho2242jb42 3h23vhh2423v4b242j42 3vjrb23 k34h2442424b2krj33v 2ihoh3i3 33b3ik3j hih3u3oi33i3bhj3234h234h3oih 24o34h3442h424342 4324324780syedmerjhmed443v4h2v3234h242.42434234j2423kjnx2.4o324249
Jesus Raza Washington USA | 2 years ago | Reply What happened in Pakistan is extremely shameful Opposition is taking every agenda to the Supreme courts Our country is being run and ruled by the courts Our Scripture says GOD DOES NOT CHANGE THE LOTS OF PEOPLE UNLESS THEY BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN THEMSELVES FIRST It tooks 250 Years for USA to become a Civilized Nation We are an extremely corrupt Nation and a still Barbarians Pakistan is Not ready for a Messiah to lead Them out stone age PM Imran Khan Thank You for trying
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