LAHORE: Justice Raheel Kamran of the Lahore High Court on Friday expressed displeasure over the failure of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit its response to a petition seeking immediate implementation of Supreme Court’s verdict in the reserved seats case.

Advocate Azhar Siddique, representing the petitioner, earlier informed the court that all relevant documents had been provided, yet the replies of the government as well as the ECP were being awaited. He alleged that both respondents were deliberately delaying implementation.

The petitioner argued that since SC judgement was binding in terms of Article 189 of the Constitution, the respondents could not avoid its implementation.

On the other hand, he argued, the speakers of the National Assembly as well as the Punjab and Sindh assemblies had issued letters to the ECP to implement the law instead of the SC decision so the matter must be decided at the earliest.

Since the ECP has not followed the SC order and the high court has the jurisdiction in view of Article 187(2), the counsel requested the judge to get it implemented without further delay. He asked the court to order enforcement of the SC decision on reserved seats in the assemblies.

The judge while expressing displeasure over the ECP failure to submit its reply and over the absence of its counsel at the hearing directed additional advocate general to ensure submission of the replies on behalf of the government and the commission by the next hearing.

The court later adjourned the hearing till Oct 4.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2024