Basic democracy: Leghari calls for immediate LG polls

Leghari said he wrote the letter to the chief election commissioner calling upon him to hold LG elections immediately.

LAHORE:

Independent Senator Mohsin Khan Leghari approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday, demanding that local government (LG) elections and general elections be held simultaneously.

Leghari said he wrote the letter to the chief election commissioner, Fakharuddin G Ebrahim, calling upon him to hold LG elections immediately, which were due to be held in 2010.

LG elections are the root of basic democracy and it produces a higher turnout as compared to the National Assembly and provincial assembly elections.

Under Article 140A of the Constitution each province shall, by law, establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of local governments and that these elections shall be held by the ECP, Leghari wrote in the letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2013.