LB polls in Sindh: Sharjeel says elections be deferred till March

Claims that Sindh needed more time to conduct fair, impartial and transparent local bodies’ election.

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Inam Memon has said the provincial government needs more time to conduct fair, impartial and transparent local bodies’ election.

“It is better to hold local bodies’ elections in March. It is not possible to conduct the polls in January,” he said in a statement issued on Sunday.

He said according to the bill passed by Sindh Assembly, Sindh government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were bound to give election schedule after consultation with each other. “It is better to hold local bodies’ elections on the same day all over the country,” he added.

He said there should be no haste in election schedule. “The use of magnetic ink should be made compulsory and endorsement of voter lists and enrolment of new voters must be ensured.”

It is pertinent to mention that earlier this month, the Supreme Court wanted polls to be held on November 27 in Sindh; however, the elections were delayed because of delimitation-related issues.

Sindh government has decided to hold elections on party basis as the Constitution has left it up to the provinces to decide whether they want local candidates to contest the elections on a party ticket or independently.

However, Sharjeel said holding elections in the timeframe given was not possible, adding that the provincial government was legally allowed to devise poll schedule with the help of the ECP.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2013.