Local bodies’ elections: Provinces told to submit responses on LB polls

SC turns down K-P govt’s plea for 45 days to draft legislation.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the advocates general of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to submit written statements regarding the deadline of local bodies’ (LB) elections in the country.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed resumed the hearing on the matter and directed the Additional Attorney General of Pakistan to submit a copy of the notification regarding LB polls in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Besides, the court accepted the plea of Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Munir A Malik for more time to complete the consultative process with all political parties for holding LB polls in the cantonment boards.

During the proceedings, the AGP submitted that a 10-member committee has been constituted for consultative process involving all political parties saying that to hold LB polls in the cantonment boards, existing election laws would have to be amended.



He said that the committee will finalise proposals after consulting all political parties.Once the premier returns from his UN trip, the AGP said he will request him to direct the committee to speed up the task. He assured the court that during the first week of October the committee will finalise the proposal after which the bill would be tabled in the house for approval.

Malik requested for more time saying that after completion of the process the LB polls in the cantonment boards would be possible during the last week of November 2013.

AG Punjab Mustafa Ramday told the court that the Punjab government has confirmed to the Election Commission of Pakistan that the provincial government will hold polls on December 14, to which the bench asked him to file a written statement during the next hearing.

Additional AG Sindh submitted a reply on the matter in pursuance of the court’s orders and said that the government is ready to hold polls but it is conditional upon smooth law and order situation in the province.

The bench reprimanded him and said that there should not be ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ and recalled that during the hearing on the matter in Karachi on September 18, a statement was recorded on behalf of the provincial government that the LB polls would be held on November 27.

AG Balochistan said that due to incomplete composition of the cabinet in the province he was not in a position to give a final date for LB elections.

The bench turned down the request of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to grant 45 days for legislation to hold LB polls.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2013.