ECP asks ministry of defence to deploy army at printing houses as provinces push for postponement. PHOTO: IRFAN ALI/EXPRESS
The government of Sindh is likely to approach the court to seek another delay in the new local government (LG) elections schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Although polls in Sindh are scheduled to take place on January 18 and 30 in Sindh and Punjab respectively, both provinces wish to extend the poll date further.
According to details that emerged on Wednesday, the Sindh Chief Secretary Sajjad Saleem Hotiana pressed the commission to hold polls in the province by end of March next year.
“The province needs more deliberations on its local government legislation,” the secretary was quoted as saying. “We carried out delimitations in haste and need to review them.”
The ECP rejected the pleas of provinces to delay polls on the basis that the Supreme Court has directed the commission to complete the process of local government polls before the end of February next year.
Punjab also quoted similar reasons as well as weather conditions as grounds for seeking delay. However, the ECP rejected the pleas and went ahead with the dates it has proposed to the Supreme Court.
Army deployment at printing houses
In a letter to the ministry of defence, the ECP on Wednesday requested that the army be deployed at the offices of Printing Corporation of Pakistan and Pakistan Security Printing Corporation to ensure the security of ballot papers.
“ECP has asked the defence ministry to deploy army personnel at the offices of printing houses by tomorrow (Thursday),” poll officials said.
As Balochistan has published a final list of contesting candidates, the printing of ballot papers for the province is expected to start on Thursday.
New nominations for Wadh
The ECP has allowed the candidates of Tehsil Wadh in the Khuzdar district to file fresh nominations, as their records were destroyed in a fire that took place on November 17 at the office of a returning officer. Fresh nominations can be filed today (Wednesday), a notification said.
Although the commission has changed the dates for the scrutiny of nominations in the Tehsil, the notification said polls in the district will be held on December 7 with the rest of the province.
The ECP also released the data of contestants from 29 districts of the Balochistan. With the exception of Awaran, Panjgur and Kech whose data is yet to be compiled, a total of 3,037 candidates are running for district council seats. The nominations of 176
district council candidates were rejected.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2013.
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