Local govt elections: SC issues 30-day deadline to Punjab, Sindh
Calls upon govt to empower ECP for polls in cantonment boards
Calls upon govt to empower ECP for polls in cantonment boards. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Thursday called upon the Punjab and Sindh governments to finalise arrangements for holding local government elections within a month.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, also ordered the federal government to promulgate an ordinance for empowering ECP to hold similar elections in all the 43 cantonment boards of the country. The next hearing is due on February 12.
During the hearing, Akram Sheikh, counsel for ECP, requested the court to bind Sindh and Punjab to complete the election process so that the commission could announce the polls schedule within a week.
Earlier, the ECP complained that the governments were unhelpful in regards to holding the elections. In its report, the commission stressed that the provinces have not yet provided complete data to initiating delimitation. “The ECP is committed to initiate the process as early as possible after the receipt of information relating to demarcation of local areas, determination of union councils/wards and authenticated maps from the governments as well as amendments in the respective acts”.
In its report, the commission informed about a meeting on December 30, 2014 wherein local government secretary Punjab conveyed that demarcation and determination of seats in the LG institutions have been completed for 31 districts, whereas the requisite notification with authenticated maps would be provided to the commission soon after the process in the remaining five districts. The draft for removing anomalies in Punjab LG Act 2013 will be presented before the provincial assembly for a possible amendment in the act.
The details regarding local areas, number of union councils and wards in each LG along-with maps of 24 districts, have been sent to the provincial election commissioner. Information regarding the remaining 11 districts would be available soon, it added.
Likewise, in Sindh, demarcation of local governments and the number of seats, preparation of authenticated maps is in progress and the details would be provided in the next few days. Moreover, draft for removing anomalies in Sindh LG Act 2013 would be tabled in the provincial assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2015.
The Supreme Court on Thursday called upon the Punjab and Sindh governments to finalise arrangements for holding local government elections within a month.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, also ordered the federal government to promulgate an ordinance for empowering ECP to hold similar elections in all the 43 cantonment boards of the country. The next hearing is due on February 12.
During the hearing, Akram Sheikh, counsel for ECP, requested the court to bind Sindh and Punjab to complete the election process so that the commission could announce the polls schedule within a week.
Earlier, the ECP complained that the governments were unhelpful in regards to holding the elections. In its report, the commission stressed that the provinces have not yet provided complete data to initiating delimitation. “The ECP is committed to initiate the process as early as possible after the receipt of information relating to demarcation of local areas, determination of union councils/wards and authenticated maps from the governments as well as amendments in the respective acts”.
In its report, the commission informed about a meeting on December 30, 2014 wherein local government secretary Punjab conveyed that demarcation and determination of seats in the LG institutions have been completed for 31 districts, whereas the requisite notification with authenticated maps would be provided to the commission soon after the process in the remaining five districts. The draft for removing anomalies in Punjab LG Act 2013 will be presented before the provincial assembly for a possible amendment in the act.
The details regarding local areas, number of union councils and wards in each LG along-with maps of 24 districts, have been sent to the provincial election commissioner. Information regarding the remaining 11 districts would be available soon, it added.
Likewise, in Sindh, demarcation of local governments and the number of seats, preparation of authenticated maps is in progress and the details would be provided in the next few days. Moreover, draft for removing anomalies in Sindh LG Act 2013 would be tabled in the provincial assembly.
Referring to LG elections in cantonment boards, it said a draft of the ordinance for amending Cantonments Ordinance 2002, empowering ECP, has been prepared by director general of military lands and cantonments department and would be promulgated within a couple of weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2015.