LHC allows time to Govt, ECP for reply on members oath-taking limit

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday granted time to the federal government and the election commission to submit reply over mandatory oath-taking for elected representatives within 60 days, ARY News reported.

A high court bench comprised of Justice Jawad Hassan, heard a petition challenging an ordinance that made it mandatory for the elected members to take oath within 60 days of the poll to avoid disqualification.

The counsels of the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had requested for time to submit their reply over the petition.

A petitioner had earlier pleaded to the court that by a presidential ordinance the Election Act 2017 has been amended and a time limit fixed for taking oath by the parliamentarians-elect within 60 days.

“The Constitution did not provide any limit and introducing such restriction by an ordinance was against the basic spirit of the Constitution,” the petitioner argued.

An elected representative can be de-notified, if he fails to take oath of his office within the fixed period.

He pleaded to the court to set aside the ordinance and the amendment to the Election Act as being unconstitutional.