Devolution delayed: Sindh govt says local bodies elections not possible before Dec 23

Chief secretary submits report as the SC is scheduled to take up matter in Quetta.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has requested the Supreme Court (SC) to grant time till December to conduct the local government elections.

The Sindh chief secretary, in his report to the Karachi registry of the SC, explained the elections will require a favourable law and order situation, the completion of the delimitation process and some legal amendments. For the required amendments to the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, a session of the provincial assembly has been called on September 18, said the report.



Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the apex court’s larger bench is scheduled to take up the case on local government elections across the country, including Sindh, at the SC Quetta registry on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, advocate general Khalid Jawed Khan submitted a report of the chief secretary, who said that the government had earlier reiterated that it would fully comply with any order that may be passed by the apex court. After the new act, the apex court had approved the summary to start the process of delimitation, which may be completed by October 15, he recalled.

In discharge of its constitutional obligations and as guided by the apex court in the Watan Party case, the secretary said the Sindh government in collaboration with the federal government has also started targeted actions in different parts of the city. “Due to the resolve and commitment of the government and untiring efforts of the members of the law enforcing agencies, criminals are being apprehended and shall be tried before the courts,” he said.

According to the secretary, the government is making all efforts to ensure that the atmosphere is conducive for peaceful elections. “This may also require some time,” the secretary observed, adding that local government elections may need more preparations than the general elections so the government will need more time.

Keeping in view all the facts and circumstances and subject to preparations by the election commission, the Sindh government will be in a position to hold these elections on December 23, he said. The report further said that the government will accept any decision that the apex court makes in this situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2013.