LAHORE: A two-judge Lahore High Court (LHC) bench on Friday upheld a single bench’s April 13 verdict that restored the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s powers which were withdrawn last week and asked him to hold the polls for the Punjab CM slot on April 16.
The bench headed by Justice Shujaat Ali Khan dismissed appeals filed by PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, PML-Q Secretary General Kamil Ali Agha and PTI parliamentary leader in PA Sibtain Khan challenging the single bench’s verdict.
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The bench ruled that PA Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari has the powers to preside over the assembly session.
“He is bound by the oath of his office to hold the election for the Punjab CM slot in a transparent and impartial manner,” it added.
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On April 13, the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected Hamza Shehbaz’s plea for holding early election of the chief minister of Punjab. The Punjab chief minister’s election will be held on April 16, the court said in its verdict.
PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz had filed petition in the high court seeking early election of the chief minister in Punjab.