LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday adjourned hearing of a petition against non-allocation of reserved seats to Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) till March 25.
The court gave an opportunity to provincial and federal governments for filing written replies to the petition by the next date of hearing.
The single bench comprising Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal heard the petition filed by SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
During the proceedings, a provincial law officer sought time for filing written reply to the petition while responding to a court query. He submitted that some members had taken oath on reserved seats. The reply will be filed to the extent of other members who had not sworn in yet, he added.
At this stage, the petitioner’s counsel requested the court to issue a stay order, adding that it was an important matter.
However, the court declined the request, adding that let the replies come and then this matter would be reviewed.
The court, adjourning further hearing till March 25, dire
cted provincial and federal governments to file replies.
The petitioner had submitted that the Election Commission rejected SIC’s plea for allotment of reserved seats and allocated disputed reserved seats to other parliamentary parties, adding that the decision was illegal and unconstitutional. He pleaded with the court to restrain the candidates, elected on disputed reserved seats, from using any power. He also requested the court to direct the commission to allocate seats to SIC in the National Assembly and the provincial assembly as per its strength in the Punjab.