The next step: ECP seeks top court’s guidance on LG polls

An official of the poll body says its job is completed.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought guidance from the Supreme Court regarding the local government (LG) elections.

A senior official revealed to The Express Tribune that the ECP has submitted an application in the apex court after the Sindh and Lahore High Courts’ decisions to set aside the delimitation of wards in the two provinces as well as the recall of an earlier election schedule with the apex court’s permission.

The source said the SC has fixed the hearing of the application for Thursday and the commission will inform the SC that the federal government has yet to complete the process of legislation regarding polls in Cantonment Areas as well as Islamabad. “We will request the SC to issue directions to the federal and provincial governments to arrange the LG elections as the ECP’s job in this regard has been completed,” the official said.

He added that the Lahore High Court had not issued a detailed verdict about LG elections in Punjab when the delimitation process was set aside and the ECP was asked to start new delimitation in the province.

“We will inform the SC that the ECP cannot be involved in the delimitation process according to the law.” While the Sindh government has challenged the SC’s decision regarding delimitation, the Punjab government has not filed an appeal against the high court’s judgment of December 31, 2013, he added. The SC has already admitted the Sindh government’s petition against the high court’s decision and the matter will be taken up on February 11.

Earlier, the ECP submitted an application telling the SC that LG elections in Sindh on January 18 and in Punjab on January 30 would be impossible due to a delay in the printing of ballot papers. On January 12, the SC accepted the commission’s request to delay elections in both the provinces. Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani reiterated that the court does not want to delay the polls for an indefinite period.

Additionally, candidates contesting these elections in Punjab and Sindh have expressed concern as to when the polls will be held.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2014.