Local elections: High Court seeks replies from Punjab government, ECP

CJ Bandial will hear the case on Dec 6.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Monday sought replies from the Punjab government and the Election Commission of Pakistan on a petition against delay in holding local government elections in the Punjab.

Chief Justice Lahore High Court was hearing the petition moved by Asghar Gilani, president of the Local Council Association.

A provincial law officer appeared before the court and asked the court to adjourn the hearing since the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. The chief justice rejected his plea, observing that the apex court was hearing a case about local government elections in Balochistan. The case does not have any link with the Punjab, noted Justice Bandial.

The court was also informed that local bodies elections could not be held because the voters’ lists were incomplete. The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction with this statement too. “The election commission says it is ready to hold election any day,” he said.

The chief justice then issued notices to the provincial government and the ECP directing them to submit replies by December 6.

The petitioner says that the provincial government is violating the Constitution by not holding local elections. He said that the government had amended the Local Bodies Ordinance to delay the election. He submitted that the impugned amendment violated Article 140-A of the Constitution and directions of the high court.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2012.