The Supreme Court Registrar Office returned the petition saying that it was not maintainable since the matter had been disposed of by the top court on November 5. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Amidst deepening uncertainty over the fate of local bodies’ elections, the Supreme Court Registrar Office has turned down an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) petition seeking more time for the exercise. The ECP is, however, apparently persistent. It is considering moving the same application in the top court again.
On the other hand, the ECP has extended the date for filing nomination papers in Sindh and Punjab for a day. Tuesday was the last day for filing nominations.
“The commission has further directed that all returning officers (ROs) in both provinces will perform their normal activities already mentioned in the election schedule, ie, issuance of notice of nominations received and receiving of objections on nominations so notified,” the ECP said in a notification which was issued after the commission’s petition was rejected.
“The returning officers will paste the additional list of nominations received on November 13, on the notice board and will receive objections against the additional list of nominations till 10:00pm,” it added.
In its plea, the ECP sought more time for holding the LB elections as necessary arrangements could not be completed in the given schedule. The Sindh government’s request for holding the LB polls on December 7 instead of November 27 will not help holding of the elections in the province as the procurement of paper and printing of ballot papers would not be possible even in the extended period.
The Supreme Court Registrar Office, however, returned the petition saying that it was not maintainable since the matter had been disposed of by the top court on November 5.
The apex court had directed the ECP to hold the LG polls in Sindh on November 27 and in Punjab on December 7. In Balochistan, the elections are due on December 7. Accordingly, the ECP had notified the schedule earlier this month.
On another request of the Sindh government, the ECP decided on Monday to extend the timeframe for holding the LB polls in the province on December 7. However, the formal notification has yet not been issued due to prevailing confusion in the ECP.
ECP options
An official from the ECP’s law wing told The Express Tribune that they were considering two options: to either challenge the Registrar Office decision or to move a review petition against the top court’s November 5 order.
“Both options are under consideration. The legal department and our lawyer will be drafting a new petition based on any of the two options,” the official added.
However, the options could not be availed before the Muharram holidays due from Thursday. And in the meantime, the current schedule will be followed.
Difficulties for candidates
The prevailing uncertainty and chaos has added to the miseries of the aspiring candidates. In Punjab, the Local Government Act is still being fine-tuned. Even the nomination form hasn’t been finalised because it was formatted for non-party based polls which was scrapped by the Lahore High Court. Another amendment regarding ‘finality of the Prophet (PBUH)’ was incorporated in the form on November 10.
Similarly, delimitation of local councils and reconciling electoral rolls accordingly has also not been carried out. Many aspiring candidates are facing difficulties in finding their respective constituencies.
LG polls in Cantonments
Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar informed a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, that LB elections would be held in all cantonment boards of the country in accordance with the existing law.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Courts are right, last local elections held 15 years ago, and successive very "democratic" government did not want to conduct elections and 15 years down the line they still not prepared? how long they need, may be their rigging plans are not in place i guess!