SC admits petition questioning Punjab local government law for hearing, notices issued

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday admitted for hearing a petition challenging Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 and issued notices to the Punjab government and others to come up with their replies.

A three-judge apex court bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, declared the petition maintainable.

Advocate Nawazish Ali, representing the petitioner, contended before the judges that all elected local government representatives in Punjab had taken oath of office on Dec 31, 2016 for a five-year tenure.

The PTI-led Punjab government brought in the new Act before completion of their tenure in violation of various provisions of the constitution, he said, arguing that the government could have enacted the law after local bodies had completed their term.

Under the law, he said local governments’ powers have been delegated to the district administration unlawfully.

To a question about whether or not he has filed a separate plea for suspending the operation of the Act until a final decision on his petition, he replied that he had not done as much. To this, Justice Mushir Alam asked him to file an application seeking a stay order, after which this court will issue an appropriate order.