ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday issued a notice to the Punjab advocate general on a contempt petition against the provincial government over alleged non-implementation of the apex court’s March 25 order regarding restoration of the local government institutions.
A SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the petition seeking to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the provincial chief secretary for failing to implement the court order.
The court also issued a notice to the chief secretary to submit his response to the petition by next hearing.
The petitioner’s lawyer stated that the March 25 order is not being implemented despite the fact that the authorities concerned were informed about the order well in time.
He lamented that the local government representatives are not even being allowed to enter their offices.
On March 25, a bench of the SC, headed by CJP Justice Gulzar Ahmed, had ordered to restore the local government system in Punjab, terming the section 3 of the Local Bodies Act contradictory of the Constitution.
It is pertinent to mention that the Punjab government has filed a review petition in the SC against the restoration of the local bodies system in the province. The chief secretary Punjab had filed a review petition, asking the apex court to reconsider its March 25 decision regarding restoration of the local bodies system in the province on the basis of previous delimitations.
The Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 was passed by the provincial assembly in May, 2019.
