Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Parvez Elahi moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday, challenging his denotification by Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman.
In a petition filed in the LHC, CM Parvez Elahi has appealed to the court to declare the governor’s move illegal.
The denotification
In a late-night development, Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman Thursday denotified Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and dissolved his cabinet after the chief minister refrained from taking a vote of confidence from the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday.
In a notification, the Governor 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”.
“In consequence of above, the Provincial Cabinet stands dissolved forthwith,” the notification further stated.
However, the Governor asked the “former” Chief Minister to continue in his office until his successor is elected.
The petition
It informs the court that the Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan was asked to summon a session for a vote of confidence. It added that the speaker did not summon the session as one was already underway.
“No action can be taken against any chief minister over speaker’s actions,” maintains the petition.
Governor Rehman has been made respondent in the case via his principal secretary and chief secretary of the province.
