LHC rejects petition against 10-day Basant festival in 2027

LHC rejects petition against 10-day Basant festival in 2027

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed 10-day Basant festival in 2027, declaring it premature in the absence of an official government notification.

Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition and questioned the petitioner’s counsel about the legal basis for challenging the proposed festival.

During the hearing, the judge asked whether the petitioner had a government notification confirming that Basant would be celebrated over 10 days. He questioned how the petition could be entertained without an official notification announcing the proposed arrangement.

The court observed that it could not issue an order solely on the basis of documents available on a website.

Justice Chaudhry further remarked that the court could not determine whether the proposed Basant celebrations violated fundamental rights without an official notification. He said the petitioner should provide the notification so the court could seek the government’s position on the matter.

The judge also expressed surprise that the registrar’s office had not raised an objection to the petition at the initial stage.

During the proceedings, the court questioned the petitioner’s lawyer about why a fine should not be imposed for filing the petition without the necessary official documentation.

The LHC directed the petitioner to file a fresh petition accompanied by the relevant government notification, allowing the matter to be examined on a proper legal basis.

The court’s decision does not amount to a ruling on the legality of the proposed 10-day Basant festival itself. Instead, it highlights the need for an official notification before the petitioner can formally challenge the plan.