Islamabad: As Chief Minister Parvez Elahi proved that he enjoys the confidence of the majority in the Punjab Assembly by obtaining a vote of confidence, Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman Thursday revoked the notification order that he had issued last month.
The revelation was made as a five-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) took up a petition filed by the CM challenging governor’s de-notification order.
CM Parvez Elahi gets required 186 number in late-night vote of confidence drama
During the hearing today, Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh of the LHC inquired whether the governor was satisfied with the vote of confidence, to which his lawyer said that the record of the trust vote should be made part of the court’s records.
In a late-night Punjab Assembly drama, CM Elahi successfully bagged 186 votes to retain his position as the LHC had observed that a chief minister should have round-the-clock support from a majority of lawmakers in the house.
In the house of 371 members, CM Parvez Elahi secured 186 votes — the minimum required to retain the position — in a session that was marred by a noisy opposition protest
Governor Rehman’s lawyer apprised the bench that his counsel had revoked the December 22 notification.
“He has received the report of the vote of confidence and has no objections to it,” he said.
Subsequently, the court remarked that with the governor’s decision.
“You solved the matter in assembly […] courts should not be involved in political matters unnecessarily,” it added and disposed of Elahi’s petition.
Governor Punjab denotifies CM Parvez Elahi; dissolves cabinet
On December 22, 2022, Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman denotified CM Elahi and dissolved his cabinet after the chief minister refrained from taking a vote of confidence from the Punjab Assembly under the direction of the governor.
In a notification, the governor had said that since the CM refrained from obtaining a vote of confidence on the appointed day and time, he was satisfied that the CM “does not command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Punjab Assembly, and therefore ceases to hold his office with immediate effect”.
Subsequently, Elahi had approached the court, saying the move was “unconstitutional, unlawful, and of no legal effect”.
