The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ruled that the chief minister's election in the Punjab Assembly should be held on April 16 — just as originally planned — as it delivered its verdict on a petition filed by Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly (PA) Hamza Shahbaz seeking help for holding fair and transparent elections for the vacant position as soon as possible.

The verdict was reserved yesterday after LHC Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti heard the case for nearly five hours and observed that since there was a deadlock between the stakeholders over mutually deciding the election date, the decision would thus be taken by the court.

The chief justice today ordered PA Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari to complete the election process on April 16 (Saturday) and directed all parties to fulfil their responsibilities according to the law and the Constitution, with specific instructions for the assembly staff to fully cooperate in holding the elections.

The short order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, directed the PA secretary to complete all renovation work at the assembly before 11pm on Friday so it is available for use the next day for the election.

It also restored Mazari's powers as the deputy speaker.

The judge subsequently disposed Hamza and Mazari's petitions.

Punjab chief minister's election

The PA has to elect the new leader of the house after Usman Buzdar resigned last month. PML-Q's Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and PML-N's Hamza, who has secured the support of PTI's dissident lawmakers — the Jahangir Khan Tarin and Aleem Khan groups — are to go head to head in the race to become the next chief minister.

To be elected as the chief minister, a candidate will need at least 186 votes in the 371-member house.

In the Punjab Assembly, the PTI has 183 lawmakers, PML-Q 10, PML-N 165, PPP seven, five are independent and one belongs to Rah-i-Haq.

Last week, the opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Elahi, who is also the PA speaker, further squeezing space for the provincial government to play its cards.

After the apex court’s decision last week, where it nullified the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker’s ruling on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, the ruling coalition in Punjab once again warned its MPAs against voting for Hamza or they would be de-seated.

In the NA, the joint opposition did not need the dissident PTI MNAs to oust PM Imran as it had the required numbers, including the support of the former government’s allies. But in the PA, the opposition needs the backing of a good number of PTI dissenters to install its chief minister.

Last Wednesday, the opposition had been barred from entering the PA, as it was sealed after Elahi decla­red Mazari’s ‘order’ to summon the session ‘illegal’.

According to the assembly secretariat, the session would be convened on April 16 as per an earlier notification of the assembly signed by the deputy speaker. Elahi had used his authority as the spe­aker and ordered the withdrawal of powers delegated to Mazari with immediate effect.

Mazari’s power to preside over a session was also snatched following the submission of a no-confidence motion against him by his own fellow lawmakers in the PTI-PML-Q coalition. His sudden change of heart was termed the ‘handiwork’ of the PML-N leadership that allegedly wooed him through a ‘good offer’.