Contempt notice issued to Kasur returning officer

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court has issued a contempt of court notice to Kasur District Returning Officer Latif Anjum for defying an order and disrespect to the court.
Mian Muhammad Ramzan and others had filed a petition against the DRO for not entertaining their objections to local government elections in the district. During the hearing, the DRO appeared before the court of Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan and filed a report about compliance of the court’s previous order. The judge observed that there was no plausible explanation in the report as to why the order of the court was not complied with before filing of the contempt petition. When asked about the delay, the DRO told the court that he was a senior officer posted in the district and that he was going to be promoted soon. He said that contempt proceedings before the court were likely to affect his chances of being promoted. He prayed to the court to discharge the proceedings. Justice Khan made him realise that he was standing before the high court in a contempt petition for non-compliance of an order of the court, which itself was contempt and uttering of the words was further contempt of the court. A deputy attorney general, at this juncture, intervened and submitted that the alleged contemner/DRO was unaware of what he was saying and the court may overlook and condone the statement made by him in the court. Justice Khan, however, said it was evident from the officer’s attitude and the lack of compliance of the court order that the alleged contemnor had no respect for the orders of the court and considered himself to be above law. “In the circumstances, the court is left with no other alternative but to issue a contempt notice to the respondent-DRO, Kasur,” the judge said.
The judge appointed Additional Advocate General Sirajul Islam Khan as prosecuting officer to prosecute the DRO on contempt of court charges. The judge also ordered that the the alleged contemnor will remain suspended from performing his duties in the relevant department and adjourned the hearing until December 2.