ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court, on Friday, issued notice to the advocate general Punjab regarding contempt petition for not implementing its order on restoration of Local Government (LG). A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard contempt petitions of the Lahore and Rawalpindi mayors.

The apex court on March 25, 2021 had restored Local Governments in the Punjab. The short order said: "Section 3 of the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 where the Local Bodies were dissolved is ultra vires of the Constitution and ultimately the LGs in Punjab are restored."

During the proceeding, the petitioners' counsel apprised that the Punjab government is not allowing the mayors/councilors to sit in their offices. The chief justice inquired from the lawyer what they did besides communicating the Court order to the relevant authorities.

Justice Gulzar said if the councilors did not get offices then they could have meetings at various places. The lawyer replied how could the mayors/ councilors work without funds. Mayor Municipal Corporation Lahore on May 20 and Sardar Naseem on April 17, 2021 had filed contempt petitions under Article 204 of Constitution against the Punjab government for not implementing the Supreme Court order to restore local government system.

They have made the chief secretary and the secretary Local Governments and Community Development, Punjab, as respondents. The petitioners stated that the apex court on 25-03-2019 had declared Section 3 of the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 ultra vires, and directed that the Local Governments be restored and shall complete its term in accordance with the law.

They said the Act was challenged by the local government office bearers under Article 184(3) of Constitution. The apex court on 25-03-2019 declared Section 3 of the Act ultra vires, and directed that the local governments be restored and shall complete its term in accordance with the law.

It is their stance that though the apex court order was communicated to the concerned authorities of the Punjab government, despite that the respondents were not complying with the order and did not allow the elected representatives to assume their offices. The bench, after hearing the arguments, adjourned the case for an indefinite period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021