Elections in Punjab: Counsel for governor seeks time to file reply in response to PTI’s plea

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing to February 09 on a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf through its secretary seeking election in Punjab as the counsel of Governor Punjab sought more time to submit his reply. The court also directed the parties to submit their replies before the next hearing.

The court remarked that it was a matter of public interest that elections should be held but nobody was taking it seriously.

Earlier, a law officer told the court that the Punjab governor had sent his reply to the letter of Election Commission Pakistan (ECP), parliamentary leader and the speaker. However, the petitioner’s lawyer told the court that the Governor did not give any date for holding elections.

On a court’s query, the counsel of ECP told the court that the commission was ready to hold elections, however, the Punjab governor wrote back to the ECP asking it to hold consultation with all the stakeholders regarding elections.

The court observed that it’s written in the constitution that elections should be held within 90 days. There are several judgments of the superior courts in this regard,” it added.

The court asked the ECP lawyer, “if the governor is reluctant in giving date. The ECP should announce the election date”.

The court reminded the law officer that it was not simply a court, rather it was a constitutional court. When the law officer said whether the court would give the election date, the judge said, “we are just reminding what is written in the constitution”.

The PTI lawyer argued that elections must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly. He said there were several verdicts of the superior courts in this regard but the governor was not giving polls date. The counsel of governor however requested the court to allow him time to submit his reply.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023