The Supreme Court had also observed that both the provinces have not taken the matter seriously and not provided due assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the process of delimitation. STOCK IMAGE
The Sindh government told the apex court on Wednesday that the province is set to hold the Local Government (LG) elections after February 2016 while the Punjab government said it has removed all anomalies and now the election authorities would initiate the process of delimitation in the province.
However, expressing concerns over the delay in LG polls in Punjab and Sindh, the Supreme Court (SC) summoned the chief secretaries and the local bodies secretaries of both the provinces on Thursday (today).
The SC had also observed that both the provinces have not taken the matter seriously and not provided due assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the process of delimitation.
In compliance of the SC’s February 12 order, Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiana on Wednesday submitted a one-page statement in the apex court, expressing his inability to appear before the bench on Thursday (today).
His statement said he has great respect for the court and whenever is required he appears before the apex court, adding that the prime minister is visiting Karachi on Thursday (today) and holding different meetings pertaining to the emerging law and order situation and it is imperative that he attend (those meetings) in public interest. The chief secretary prayed the court to excuse his presence before the court in LG polls case.
He stated that the Sindh Assembly has passed the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2015 on February 24 and the Sindh government is prepared to hold the LG polls after February 2016 and this has also been conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government in its reply said the provincial government has removed all anomalies in consultation with Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) and all requisite information pertaining to demarcation of local areas and determination of number of union councils (UCs) and wards has finally been provided to the ECP up to its satisfaction.
Secretary Local Government Khalid Masood Chaudhry stated that now the ECP will initiate the process of delimitation of UCs and wards in term of sections 8, 9 and 10 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2013.
The report states that the requisite information to the extent of 35 districts except Lahore was completed till February 6 and provided by the provincial government to the District Focal Persons.
It is to be noted that the top court in its March 19, 2014 order had set November 15, 2014 as the date for the announcement of an election schedule and completing the process required for holding the polls. The bench observed that the delay amounted to violation of the Constitution but so far the LG polls have not been held. According to the ECP’s earlier report, the Sindh government will be able to hold LG polls by March 2016 and Punjab will hold LG elections until November 2015.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2015.
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