LHC orders Punjab government to unseal LESCO grid stations
The stations had been sealed due to nonpayment of property tax.
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the government of Punjab to unseal three grid stations of the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (Lesco). The stations had been sealed due to nonpayment of property tax.
Taking up a petition filed by Lesco against the sealing of its grid stations, Justice Ayesha A Malik also suspended a Punjab government notification and sought a reply from director general of the Excise and Taxation Department by June 18.
Lesco’s counsel argued before the court that under the constitution, the provincial government had no power to recover tax from a department which came in the domain of the federal government. A provincial assembly too had no jurisdiction to make such legislation, he added.
The counsel said the Punjab government illegally and in sheer violation of the Constitution had sent notices to grid stations for recovery of property tax and sealed them on nonpayment.
He prayed to the court to set aside the impugned notification by the Punjab government being null and void and order the unsealing of grid stations.
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the government of Punjab to unseal three grid stations of the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (Lesco). The stations had been sealed due to nonpayment of property tax.
Taking up a petition filed by Lesco against the sealing of its grid stations, Justice Ayesha A Malik also suspended a Punjab government notification and sought a reply from director general of the Excise and Taxation Department by June 18.
Lesco’s counsel argued before the court that under the constitution, the provincial government had no power to recover tax from a department which came in the domain of the federal government. A provincial assembly too had no jurisdiction to make such legislation, he added.
The counsel said the Punjab government illegally and in sheer violation of the Constitution had sent notices to grid stations for recovery of property tax and sealed them on nonpayment.
He prayed to the court to set aside the impugned notification by the Punjab government being null and void and order the unsealing of grid stations.