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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday rejected a plea to hold early elections and ordered Punjab Assembly’s deputy speaker to hold the election for the Punjab chief minister on April 16.
LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti announced the decision after reserving the verdict on petitions a day earlier. The court said the election for Punjab chief minister will be held on Saturday, April 16.
PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz, who is a candidate for the Chief Minister’s slot, had filed a plea in the LHC for holding early election. The high court also restored the deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s powers over his plea with regard to revocation of his powers.
“The parties should perform their constitutional duties impartially,” Chief Justice LHC said in a brief order over the matter. “No negligence will be tolerated,” the bench warned while ordering free and fair election of the chief minister’s post.
The court also directed the Secretary Punjab Assembly to finalize preparations for election by April 15, while the repair works should be completed before 11 AM on the polling day.
The CM’s office has been vacant for nearly two weeks since Usman Buzdar’s resigned on April 1. PTI Chairman Imran Khan had nominated Speaker of Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi for chief minister, but since there is a rift within the party on the decision.
He is expected to face a tough competition with the Opposition recently showing that it has the numbers to win the polls. PML-N leader and MPA Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan had claimed that more than 200 MPAs have expressed support for Hamza Shehbaz.