Punjab mulls future after SC verdict on PM's powers

Supreme Courts’ judgment that the budgetary expenditure or discretionary governmental expenditures can only be authorized by the Cabinet instead of premier has sent jitters down to the Punjab government where Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is using discretionary powers without consulting the cabinet.

Punjab CM, after the apex court’s judgement, constituted a high level committee comprising Law Minister Rana Sana, Advocate General Punjab, Secretary Law, Secretary I&C and former advocate general Punjab Khawaja Haris. The committee has reviewed the SC judgment and now considering holding meetings with the federal government in this regard.

According to sources, the federal government might go to the review petition against the Supreme Court judgment and Punjab government could serve as a party in the petition.

Meanwhile, the committee is also considering whetting the rules of business of the Punjab government in accordance with the SC judgment.

A source in Punjab government claimed that the CM, through his discretionary powers, is making ordinances and using financial grants on daily basis so it was not possible for him to get these approved from cabinet.

The source claimed that the provincial government is likely to be a party in the review petition of the federal government.

The Supreme Court verdict further stopped prime minister from ordinance formation and moving bills to the parliament on behalf of the government without cabinet’s approval.

The SC defined that neither a secretary, nor minister or the prime pinister are the government but the collective entity described as the cabinet.