The Supreme Court has issued orders to hold by-polls in NA-123 Lahore within 60 days which awaits candidate for last two years. The SC also directed to hold by-polls on the provincial seats of Jhang and Bahawalnagar within 60 days. In his remarks during hearing of the case, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry questioned that if the Punjab government was running other governmental affairs despite 'worst law and order situation why it is not holding polls on the NA 123? The CJ said new candidates could also submit forms to contest the by-poll. At least 23 candidates, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, will be contesting for the National Assembly seat in 123 constituency. By-polls for NA-123 seat, vacated by PML-Ns Javed Hashmi, could not be held in June 2008, as one of the contestants challenged candidature of Sharif, the chief of his own faction of the Muslim League. The case was eventually decided in favour of Mr Nawaz Sharif and the Election Commission decided to hold by-polls on Nov 7, but the Punjab government moved the Lahore High Court against the electoral exercise on the plea that the commission did not hear its point of view on the security situation. The polls were delayed as the court directed the commission to hear the Punjab government before giving any schedule for by-polls in the province. The LHC orders were overturned by the apex court. Later, a petition was filed on December 26 at the Lahore Registry of the SC for the announcement of a schedule for by-elections of the NA-123 seat. The petitioner, Advocate Azhar Siddique had maintained that elections were imperative for the continuation of democracy in the country. He stated that elections had been conducted in 2008 despite Benazir Bhuttos assassination and that polling also took place in Gilgit-Baltistan recently.