News
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Appointment of Caretaker PM, Punjab CM challenged at LHCStaff Report
LAHORE: A petition has been moved at the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging the appointments of caretaker Prime Minister and caretaker Chief Minister, Punjab.
Petitioner’s counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique stated that Article 224 of the constitution lays down a procedure for the appointment of caretaker setup, on federal and
provincial levels. The caretaker Prime minister shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the PM and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing national assembly. The caretaker CM shall be appointed by the governor in consultation with the outgoing CM and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing provincial assembly.
He stated that in the present scenario, the President had not consulted the former PM or the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly. Furthermore, the governor of Punjab had not consulted the former CM and the opposition leader in the
outgoing provincial assembly, he argued adding that the interim setup had been appointed in violation of the constitution.
The counsel stated that the appointment of caretaker PM by the election commission of Pakistan (ECP) and that of caretaker CM by the Committee as laid down in Article 224A violated Article 224 of the Constitution, as no consultation process had been initiated. He further stated that all the super structures built thereon, with due regard, had to fall and as a result, the appointments both incumbents are Ultra Vires.
He requested to declare both the appointments as illegal. He also requested the court to set down the principles by interpreting the provisions of Article(s) 224 and 224A of the
Constitution for appointment of caretaker setup by the outgoing National Assembly of Pakistani and that of Provincial Assembly.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk