SC warns old system to be restored if local govt elections not held soon
The bench directed all provinces to ensure that elections were held soon after Muharram.
The bench directed all provinces to ensure that elections were held soon after Muharram. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has warned all the provincial governments that if they didn't hold Local Government (LG) elections soon after Muharram, the Court would restore the old LG system in the country.
A three-member bench comprising of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Azmat Saeed was hearing the petition pertaining to local government elections.
The bench directed all provinces to ensure that elections were held soon after Muharram.
The court also directed all provincial legal officers to sit in discussion with the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) on how to exercise constitutional provisions in order to enable holding polls in the country.
“People contest elections under the constitution and defy the same document after making it to the government,” remarked Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
The court ordered advocate generals of the four provinces to consult with provincial governments, set a precise time frame for conducting the polls and submit the final date for the elections by October 2.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja said the court would like to hear the names of those who were obstructing the elections.
“Tell us the names of the persons who create hurdles in holding the local government elections and we will deal with them”.
While Justice Khawaja reprimanded the K-P government for not delivering on its promise to conduct elections within 100 days, the Chief Justice Ifitikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said that Sindh government is ahead among all the provinces for holding the LG elections.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has warned all the provincial governments that if they didn't hold Local Government (LG) elections soon after Muharram, the Court would restore the old LG system in the country.
A three-member bench comprising of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Azmat Saeed was hearing the petition pertaining to local government elections.
The bench directed all provinces to ensure that elections were held soon after Muharram.
The court also directed all provincial legal officers to sit in discussion with the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) on how to exercise constitutional provisions in order to enable holding polls in the country.
“People contest elections under the constitution and defy the same document after making it to the government,” remarked Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
The court ordered advocate generals of the four provinces to consult with provincial governments, set a precise time frame for conducting the polls and submit the final date for the elections by October 2.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja said the court would like to hear the names of those who were obstructing the elections.
“Tell us the names of the persons who create hurdles in holding the local government elections and we will deal with them”.
While Justice Khawaja reprimanded the K-P government for not delivering on its promise to conduct elections within 100 days, the Chief Justice Ifitikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said that Sindh government is ahead among all the provinces for holding the LG elections.