Local government: LHC admits petitions challenging new law
Petitioners say provisions of the law violate the Constitution.
The PPP, the PTI and several other petitioners have asked for local govt elections on party basis. PHOTO: lhc.gov.pk
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the provincial government after admitting petitions filed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and others challenging the Punjab Local Government Law 2013.
Advocate Sardar Latif Khan Khosa appeared on behalf of the PPP and Advocate Syed Tayab Hussain Rizvi represented the PTI. Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo of the PPP also attended the proceedings.
Rizvi said the new law envisaged local government polls on party-less basis which was a violation of the Constitution.
Khosa said that holding party-less polls was also against democratic norms. He said the law and order situation in the province could deteriorate as a result.
Asked why the PPP had failed to hold local government election during its five-year tenure, Khosa said the election was the responsibility of the provincial government.
The chief justice remarked that the court would itself fix the election date if provincial government failed to do so.
The chief justice admitted both the petitions for regular hearings and directed the ECP and the government to submit replies by September 25.
The PPP has prayed that the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 may be declared ultra vires of the Constitution.
The PTI said that the assembly could not pass a law for holding party-less polls.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.
The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the provincial government after admitting petitions filed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and others challenging the Punjab Local Government Law 2013.
Advocate Sardar Latif Khan Khosa appeared on behalf of the PPP and Advocate Syed Tayab Hussain Rizvi represented the PTI. Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo of the PPP also attended the proceedings.
Rizvi said the new law envisaged local government polls on party-less basis which was a violation of the Constitution.
Khosa said that holding party-less polls was also against democratic norms. He said the law and order situation in the province could deteriorate as a result.
Asked why the PPP had failed to hold local government election during its five-year tenure, Khosa said the election was the responsibility of the provincial government.
The chief justice remarked that the court would itself fix the election date if provincial government failed to do so.
The chief justice admitted both the petitions for regular hearings and directed the ECP and the government to submit replies by September 25.
The PPP has prayed that the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 may be declared ultra vires of the Constitution.
The PTI said that the assembly could not pass a law for holding party-less polls.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.