Delay in LG polls: Sindh to file review petition against election schedule

The province seeks a one-week to ten-day delay in the election date.

KARACHI:

Sindh government may file a review petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a one-week or ten-day extension in holding local government elections which are scheduled to be held on November 27.

The decision was made at a meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at CM House on Thursday.  The meeting discussed different options and directed the advocate general to prepare a review petition to file in the apex court.

“The National Assembly has passed a resolution and a strong reaction has come out from different political parties. We are now waiting for the response of the Supreme Court. After that, final decision will be made on Friday (today),” one of the participants told The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, Sindh Advocate General Khalid Javeed Khan said Sindh government had, in principle, decided to file the petition and would seek either one-week or ten-day time.



“The process of delimitation will come to an end by November 13; but the Election Commission has already issued the schedule which has created legal hitches that is why we are going to challenge it,” he said, adding it was also difficult for the candidates to start the campaign due to Muharram.

“Sindh government wishes to hold the election on December 7 as it is scheduled in Punjab and Balochistan,” he added.

PPP-led Sindh government had also invited Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) at Chief Minister House to evolve consensus on this issue.

The leaders of both the parties discussed local government elections, delimitation and creation of new district in the province. The MQM leaders reportedly expressed their concern for not taking them into confidence over delimitation process.

Sources privy to political development said the PPP leaders assured the MQM delegation that their grievances would be resolved.

“We have started consultation with major political parties before challenging the election schedule in the apex court and meeting with the MQM was part of it,” said Dr Sikandar Mandhro, a participant of the meeting, but gave no further information about the meeting.

Earlier, Senior Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had requested the Supreme Court to review its decision to hold the local government election on November 27.

“We are in process to finalise the delimitation of union councils and three days are only given to candidates to initiate their campaign, therefore the date of election may be extended,” Nisar demanded.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2013.