LAHORE: Advocate Azhar Siddiqui has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking an order for President Arif Alvi to announce elections’ date in Punjab.
The petitioner has made the federal government, President, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, and interim government respondents, taking the ground that the high court in its Feb 10 order had declared that election should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly.
Also read: LHC issues written verdict, directs ECP to hold Punjab elections in 90 days
It said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was reluctant to announce a schedule despite the LHC orders. The petitioner prayed to the court to issue an order under Article 48, 58 and 224 of the Constitution and Section 57 of the Election Act for the president to announce a date for elections as the ECP was running away from its duties. It also sought disciplinary action against the Punjab governor and ECP for defying the court order.
It may be recalled that on Feb 10, the LHC had ordered the electoral watchdog to hold elections in the province in 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly. Justice Jawad Hassan had pronounced the reserved verdict on plea filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking orders for the Punjab governor to immediately announce a date for an election in the province.
Also read: Failure to announce election date: Contempt petition filed against Governor, ECP
The court had also instructed the ECP to promptly declare the date for the election of the provincial assembly with the notification that specifies the reasons behind the decision after consulting with the governor of Punjab, who is the province’s constitutional head.
The Punjab assembly was dissolved on January 14, 48 hours after Chief Minister Parvez Elahi advised Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman to dissolve provincial assembly.
