Local body polls: SHC rejects Sindh govt request, elections on Jan 18

Sindh High Court rules, keeping in view recommendations of Election Commission of Pakistan.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday rejected Sindh government's request to delay local government elections in the province till March, upholding the January 18 date suggested by the Election Commission, Express News reported.

The court, keeping in view the recommendations by the Election Commission of Pakistan for the date of January 18, rejected requests by the Sindh government to hold elections in March.

Sindh has been pushing on delaying local government elections in the province and the provincial cabinet decided on Monday to hold the polls in March, instead of the January 18 date decided by the Supreme Court and the ECP.

“Sindh has asked for a further delay in holding the LG polls till March but we will announce the schedule on December 13,” a senior ECP official told The Express Tribune. The ECP secretary has asked Sindh to approach the apex court for a change in the schedule, otherwise the polls will be held on January 18, the official said.

The polls have been delayed a number of times but the ECP had finally submitted before the Supreme Court last month that elections in Sindh and Punjab will be held on Jan 18 and Jan 30, respectively. It further said that it would complete the LG polls in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, cantonment areas and Islamabad Capital Territory before the end of February.