A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking an order for President Arif Alvi to announce a date for elections in Punjab.The petitioner has made the federal government, the president, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, and interim governments respondents in the case. The petition argued that the high court in its Feb 10 order had remarked that election should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly.

It said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was reluctant to announce a schedule despite the LHC orders. The petitioner pleaded 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. He also sought disciplinary action against the Punjab governor and ECP for defying the court order.

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.

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.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP