Sindh local body elections: SC questions delay in appeal against order

SHC had directed govt to hold polls within 90 days.

KARACHI:

The Supreme Court asked provincial law officers on Tuesday to explain why the Sindh government filed an appeal against Sindh High Court’s (SHC) directive to hold local body elections within 90 days.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, heard the government’s appeal assailing the SHC’s order.

On May 18, the SHC had ordered the government to hold local body elections within 90 days and the Election Commission was directed to announce the election schedule.

The high court had passed a judgment on petitions filed by former district nazims Nasir Hussain Shah, Dr Raheela Magsi and another, as the provincial government had failed to hold elections for the last three years allegedly citing amendments to local body election laws.



The Sindh government challenged this order in the apex court, saying elections could not be held in 90 days because election requirements, including the delimitation of Talukas and districts and preparations of computerised voter lists had yet to be met.

“It will be difficult to hold elections in view of unprecedented floods and a law and order situation in the province, where in some districts’ battered infrastructure has yet to be rebuilt,” the chief secretary said in his appeal.

The appeal also argued that the next general election were due in the first quarter of next year. “It will be appropriate to hold next local bodies elections after the general election,” the appellant said.

After hearing the appeal, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, heading the bench, questioned why it was filed so late.

Additional Advocate General Adnan Karim responded that the appeal was delayed because the government had applied for the provision of a certified copy of the high court’s judgment, which was provided late. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2012.