Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday terminated the Local Government Ordinance 2021 declaring it null and void. Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani announced the verdict, which was reserved previously after listening to the arguments of all the respondents. The petitions were filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s Mazdoor Union, Officers Association and ex-chairman of UC Sardar Mehtab challenging the ordinance. The court stopped the local bodies elections in Islamabad and said it couldn’t be conducted under the ordinance. The court instructed the authority to convene elections under the Local Government Act 2015, says a news report. It may be mentioned that the petitioners had challenged the ordinance in presence of the LG act. The lawyers had adopted the stance that the Parliament’s session was prorogued on November 19, while the ordinance was issued on November 23. The petitioners had also objected to limiting the role of chairman through the new law. During the proceedings, Barrister Omar Ijaz Gilani, Qazi Adil, Kashif Malik and other lawyers presented arguments on behalf of the petitioners. The public prosecutor also prayed that the parliamentary session ended on November 19 whereas the ordinance was issued on November 23.