Deadline for submission of reply to Governor Punjab on petition against non-fixing date of election in Punjab
The Lahore High Court adjourned the hearing on the petition against not setting the date of election in Punjab till February 9 and gave time to the lawyer of the Governor of Punjab to submit his reply.
The court also directed the parties to submit detailed answers to the court before the next hearing. The court remarked that this is a matter of public interest, elections are to be held, no one is taking it seriously.
Justice Jawad Hasan heard the petition of Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Umar. Asad Umar, Shibli Faraz, Azam Swati, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Sabatin Khan appeared in the court.
The government lawyer told the court that the Governor has replied to the letter of Election Commission, Parliamentary Leader and Speaker.
The Tehreek-e-Insaaf lawyer said that the governor has no date regarding the election in Punjab. The court asked the lawyer of the Election Commission that he will tell when the election will be held.
The lawyer Election Commission informed the court that we are ready to conduct the election. There has been a new development in this regard yesterday. The Governor has replied to the letter of the Election Commission.
The court remarked that it is written in the constitution that the elections are to be held in 90 days, how can you say that the economic situation has deteriorated, the economic situation was also bad before that, but the elections were held, there are several decisions of the Supreme Court in this regard.
The court instructed the lawyer of the election commission to leave the governor and give the date, you are doing so much work, leave the governor to give the date of the election.
Justice Jawad Hassan remarked that every day the Election Commission is talking about it, so do a good job and give a date. The lawyer of the federal government was of the opinion that there is still enough time to complete the 90 days.
The court, speaking to the lawyer of the federal government, said that you should give the date when the election will be held. The lawyer of the federal government took a stand that whether the court will give the date of the election.
Justice Jawad Hassan assured that this is not just a court but a constitutional court, we are talking about what is written in the constitution. The lawyer of the federal government was of the opinion that no one is saying that there will be no elections.
Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, argued that elections are to be held in 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly, but the governor has not yet announced the date of the election.
Asad Umar took a stand that the Election Commission has released the schedule regarding the by-elections of the National Assembly, at that time the thought of the economic situation did not come to mind.
The court asked Asad Umar whether to make a full bench in this case. So PTI requested not to form full bench. The lawyer of the governor sought time to submit the reply. The court inquired that how much time you need is a matter of Pakistan.
The governor’s counsel was of the opinion that at least seven days’ time is required.
Asad Umar objected to giving seven days’ time and said that giving seven days’ time means that it would have been 22 days since the dissolution of the assembly.
Justice Jawad Hasan remarked that if you have come to the court, don’t worry, nothing happens for four or five days. The court adjourned the hearing till February 9.
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