Revise schedule to hold local govt elections by September 2015, SC tells AG

Sindh, Punjab present schedules wherein polls scheduled to begin from January 2016. Poll in K-P slated for June 2015

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court told the provinces and Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday that they should revise the schedule for holding local government elections in the provinces, to ensure that they are held by September 2015.

While hearing a contempt of court petition regarding LG polls in Cantonment areas, a three-member bench of the apex court led by Justice Jawad S Khawaja, was told that Sindh and Punjab will hold its polls in three phases beginning from January 2016, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will hold elections on June 7, 2015, Radio Pakistan reported.

The remaining phases of local body elections in Sindh and Punjab will be conducted on March 20, and March 26, 2016, respectively.

Elections in Islamabad and cantonment boards will be held on 16 May.

The Supreme Court though, rejected the schedule presented by the Election Commission, and directed the attorney general to issue a revised version on Thursday morning ensuring elections are held no later than September 2015.

New electoral rolls

The ECP and the attorney general said four million new voters had been registered in Sindh and Punjab.

Revision of the electoral rolls was the constitutional responsibility of the commission.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue schedules for local bodies elections in three provinces and cantonment areas by evening.

The schedule has been requested for LG polls in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory and Cantonment areas. LG polls have already been held in Balochistan.

The court decided if a schedule is not submitted y 8:00pm, it will hear the case on Wednesday evening. However, if a schedule is submitted and the apex court is satisfied with it the hearing of the case will be adjourned till Thursday.

“The attorney general will be responsible if there are further delays in presenting the schedule,” the court ruled.

Meanwhile, during the hearing, the attorney general said that holding local bodies elections is ECP’s job and not the government’s.

Further, he said that the court should give 48 hours to issue the local government elections ordinance.

This particular case has been heard 23 times.