LAHORE: Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman has challenged the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s decision to hold elections in the province in 90 days.
The governor through his counsel filed an intra-court appeal (ICA) against the LHC single bench’s ruling. A two-judge LHC bench will take up governor’s appeal after he requested an early hearing.
Last week, while hearing a petition filed by the PTI, the LHC had directed the ECP to hold elections for the Punjab Assembly within 90 days. In its order, the LHC had directed the ECP to “immediately” announce the date of the elections after consultations with the Governor of Punjab, who is the constitutional head of the province, to ensure that the elections are held not later than 90 days as per the mandate of the Constitution.
In the line with the LHC order, a three-member ECP delegation was called on the governor on Tuesday last but the meeting remained inconclusive. During the huddle, the governor was of the opinion that he had not dissolved the assembly, so he was not authorised to announce the date of the polls. The governor said that he did not want to take any extra-legal and constitutional steps. The court’s decision requires an explanation for which they were taking the legal route.
