Violation of SC order: Contempt plea filed against PM, CEC, others

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday was moved for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and others for violating its order on holding elections in Punjab.

Advocate G M Chaudhry filed a petition in the apex court under Article 204 of the Constitution, read with Section 3 and 4 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003, for initiating contempt proceedings and directing the respondents to implement the judgment of the apex court passed on March 1, 2023 in a suo motu case regarding elections.

The petitioner made the prime minister, CEC, ECP members, Punjab caretaker chief minister and chief secretary as respondents.

He submitted that the respondents have violated the apex court order of March 1, 2023 which amounts to contempt of apex court in terms of Article 204 of the Constitution.

He further submitted that the respondent CEC, along with other four ECP members, issued an order dated March 22, 2023 pointing out different reasons and situations which are clear description that all the respondents have miserably failed to perform their constitutional obligations, functions and duties. “The respondents are directly contemner due to non-compliance of the said order of the apex court passed on March 1, 2023 in suo motu case”, the petitioner submitted. He prayed the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings against the alleged contemners by summoning them for their willful and intentional acts in violation of the court order, punishable under the provisions of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.