The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman regarding PTI petition seeking election date in the province.
The PTI on Friday moved the LHC asking the court to order the Punjab governor to immediately announce the day of a general election in the province since the assembly had been dissolved.
According to the appeal, which was submitted through PTI General Secretary Asad Umar, the Punjab Assembly had been dissolved for more than ten days but the respondent (Governor Rehman) had not carried out his constitutional responsibility of setting a date for the elections.
At the outset of the hearing today, Justice Jawad Hassan noted that a petition had been received seeking direction to the governor for an announcement of polls in the province.
“The governor did not sign the notification for the dissolution of the assembly after which the legislature stood automatically dissolved. This means that elections should be held within 90 days,” he observed.
The judge asked the petitioner [PTI] to make ECP a respondent in the case. The PTI counsel abided by the court’s directives.
“Did you write to the governor for the announcement of the date for the election,” Justice Hassan asked the PTI lawyer.
The latter responded that the governor was supposed to fulfill his responsibility under the Constitution.
At that, the judge noted: “We are here for democracy and will strive for it.”
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court issued notices to the respondents — ECP and Punjab governor — and adjourned the hearing till Feb 3.
Asad Umar afterwards told the journalists outside of court that today’s proceedings had guaranteed that elections [in the province] will take place within 90 days.
He asserted that at the time, the nation is split into two parts. “One group supports Imran Khan and democracy, while the other is steadfastly committed to bringing about instability in the nation.”
