LAHORE: Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the caretaker government of Punjab on a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging transfers and postings in the province.

Subsequently, the judge referred the matter to a larger bench after a law officer pointed out that certain matters relating to various steps taken by the caretaker government were already pending before a larger bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.

Former federal minister Hammad Azhar and other PTI leaders filed the petition seeking a judicial review of a notification issued by the chief secretary Punjab on February 04.

They also sought a restraining order against the caretaker government from making transfers/postings of public officials functioning in the constituency in which by-polls or general elections were going to be held. The petitioners’ counsel pointed out that the government issued the impugned notification on February 4 by transferring all the officials mostly related to the districts where elections were going to be held or under process.

He contended that the impugned notification was in violation of provisions of the Constitution and the Election Act 2017. He said the law strictly prohibits the respondents from transferring any official deputed or appointed with an election/election process without prior approval by the ECP.

A law officer however objected to the maintainability of the petition and said that all the transfers and postings, mentioned in the impugned notification, had been made to ensure free and fair election.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023