SC seeks legal assistance on show of hands

ISLAMABAD: The top court has sought legal assistance from the attorney general for Pakistan and advocate general Sindh on the issue of showing of hands by the Sindh government for electing mayors, deputy mayors and other local government representatives in the province.

The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmad, has maintained its stay order over the process of electing mayors and deputy mayors for the local government set-up in Sindh. Last month, the Sindh government challenged a Sindh High Court ruling declaring “null and void” an amendment in the local government law, wherein secret balloting was replaced by a show of hands for electing mayors, deputy mayors and other local government representatives in the province.

The Sindh government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the SHC’s February 10 order. The petition is drafted by advocate Farooq H Naek. The provincial government contended that the high court has failed to appreciate that the parliament and provincial assemblies are absolutely free and entitled to legislate on all matters falling within their respective domains, including matters relating to the election of the local government.

Earlier, MQM and PML-F and others had approached the SHC pleading to set aside the amendment made by the Sindh government because it is in violation of Article 266 of the constitution which allows secret polling.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.