ECP reserves verdict on Sindh govt's plea to bring new LG law

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reserved a verdict on a plea by the Sindh government seeking more time to bring in a new local government (LG) law before holding local body elections in the province, it was reported on Wednesday.

An ECP bench hearing the case berated the provincial government for delaying the LG polls.

The commission said that the election body would carry out delimitations for the local body elections on the basis of the existing law if the new law is not introduced.

“The Sindh government had sought a month’s time from the Election Commission. What did [it] do in one month? the bench asked, warning to initiate contempt of court proceedings against it.

The commission noted that the government first blamed the non-issuance of the final census results for a delay in holding the LG polls. It added six months have passed since the publication of the census result.

ECP reserves ruling

In a hearing last week, the ECP reserved the verdict regarding the organisation of LG polls in Balochistan.

During the hearing, the Balochistan government officials said that the Constitution gives power to the provincial government for delimitation. To this, the ECP members remarked that the provincial government should organise the polls as well if it is going to finalise the delimitation.

ECP reserves ruling over local bodies elections in Islamabad

Regarding the progress of LG elections, the officials said that Balochistan Assembly has powers to finalise the legislation. They added that delimitation comes under the authority of the provincial government and is a sensitive matter.

The Balochistan government representative told the ECP that the chief minister has just assumed the charge and the matter related to LG polls was discussed.

The representative added that Balochistan chief minister had said that he wants to organise LG polls and going to hold a meeting with the ECP next week.

Lack of enthusiasm in holding LG polls

The ECP has repeatedly urged provinces and federal government to play their critical role in holding local government elections but neither any provincial nor federal government has shown any enthusiasm to hold the LG polls and are using delaying tactics in this regard.

Earlier this year, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suggested to the ECP to hold local government elections this year- Punjab recommended September while KP recommended October.

However, later, both the provinces backtracked citing alarming spread of coronavirus across the country.

KP, Balochistan govt's requests rejected

On August 10, ECP rejected the requests of KP and Balochistan governments for more time in preparation of LG elections and directed the two provincial governments to ensure that LG polls were held this year.

Balochistan contends that it has decided to upgrade the union councils after the results of the 2017 population census were notified by the federal government.

ECP to conduct by-polls on vacant Sindh, Balochistan seats on Feb 16

Speaking to Business Recorder, a provincial government spokesman said the Balochistan government needs two to three months for up-gradation of UCs and to provide maps and related documents to ECP for delimitation of constituencies for LG polls.

However, he said, the ECP has rejected the provincial government’s request seeking a delay in LG polls and directed the Balochistan government to ensure that all pending work related to LG polls is completed within a month.

The ECP warned that if the provincial government failed to comply with its instructions, then the matter would be fixed for regular hearing by the ECP.