Sindh govt given last chance to wind up LB polls work

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday gave last chance to the Sindh government to complete all the necessary work for holding local bodies’ (LB) polls in the province.

In its reply submitted to the Sindh High Court (SHC) during the hearing of LB case, the ECP directed the provincial government to complete the legislation required as well as the compilation of data on the demarcations of constituencies by November 30 and submit the documents to it.

“Otherwise, the commission will be left with no option but to start delimitations of the constituencies in the province on its own from December 1,” the letter read.

The provincial election commission, on the occasion, submitted in the court details of the proceedings that took place in the ECP in this connection.

The letter further reads that the Sindh chief secretary had not showed up in the SHC on the last hearing.

Read ECP starts work for holding LG polls

“The local government secretary appeared in his place instead, and had demanded extension in the deadline for the submission of required data and the documents.

“It has been noticed that the Sindh government keeps seeking extension in the deadlines from time to time. This gives the impression as if the provincial government is not serious in holding the LB elections,” the ECP says in the letter.

Reminding that the term of the last LB had expired on August 30, 2020, the election commission wrote that the provincial government should bear this thing in mind that not holding fresh elections within 120 days of the expiry of the last LB term is a violation of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has sought funds from the Centre as it has decided to hold LB polls in the province in March 2022.