LAHORE, Nov 5: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Monday sought replies from the Punjab government and the Election Commission of Pakistan on a petition against delay in holding local bodies’ elections.

An additional advocate general told the court that the same matter was pending before the Supreme Court and the high court should adjourn the hearing.

The chief justice, however, discarded the argument and observed that the SC was hearing the matter of local elections in Balochistan not in Punjab.

The chief justice issued a notice to the provincial government and the ECP and directed them to submit detailed replies by Dec 6.

Local Council Association President Asghar Gilani filed the petition saying the provincial government had been violating the Constitution by not holding the local elections.

He said an amendment to the local body ordinance was made which delayed the elections. He said the impugned amendment was in violation of Article 140-A of the Constitution and directions of the high court. The petitioner stated that instead of holding local elections, the government appointed administrators to run the local government affairs, which was also violation of Article 32 of the Constitution.

He asked the court to direct the government to hold local bodies’ elections without any delay.

Notice to NAB chief The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau and an accountability court judge on a petition filed by Bank of Punjab’s former president Hamesh Khan seeking transfer of the bank loan fraud case against him to any other judge.

The accused, through his counsel Azam Nazir Tarar, alleged that accountability court judge Nisar Beg had not been holding proceedings in the case according to the law and appeared to have become biased against him (petitioner).

The counsel argued that the accused had no hope of justice from the judge, therefore, the case should be transferred to any other judge of the accountability courts to fulfill the requisites of justice. After hearing the preliminary arguments, the chief justice sought replies from the NAB chairman and judge Nisar Beg by Nov 19.

Hamesh Khan and others are accused of sanctioning billions of rupees loans in violation of the rules of the BoP. Khan was arrested in December 2009 in the US with the help of Interpol.