Punjab and Sindh: ECP submits staggered LG election plan in court
Three-judge bench will examine the timeline and pass order today
Election Commission of Pakistan. PHOTO ECP.GOV.PK
ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday submitted proposed schedules in the apex court for holding local government (LG) polls in Punjab and Sindh in three phases.
According to the new timelines, the first phase of LG elections will be held on November 11, second on November 29 and the third phase on December 19 in both the provinces.
The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, will examine the schedules and pass order on Thursday.
Read: Govt, ECP asked to respond to PAT plea by August 20
In the first phase, the polls will be held in 12 districts of Punjab which are: Lodhran, Vehari, Okara, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Toba Tek Singh Sargodha, Kasir, Nankana Sahib, Gujrat, Rawalpindi and Attock. While eight districts of Sindh are: Sakkur, Ghotki, Khaipur, Larkana, Qamber Shahadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore.
In the second phase, the election supervisory body has proposed that the local bodies elections will be conducted in 12 districts of Punjab which are: Khanewal, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Chinot, Khushab, Mianwali, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Chakwal and Jhelum. In Sindh, the commission has suggested 14 districts: Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosherho Feroze, Dadu, Matari, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas.
In the last phase, the poll body has recommended 12 districts of Punjab, which are Pakpattan, Layyah, Rajjan Pur, DG Khan, Muzzaffargarh, Jhang, Bhakkar, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan.
Similarly, it has also proposed seven districts of Sindh, which are Karachi West, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi Central, Korangi, Malir and Hyderabad.
The ECP in its report stated that it may exclude/include any district in the first, second and third phase at the request of the provincial government.
Five reasons
Earlier, the ECP had assured the top court that it would complete the process for holding the LG polls in both the provinces until September 26.
However, now the poll supervisory commission has submitted five reasons regarding the delay as well as holding them phase-wise.
Firstly, the ECP submitted that there is a rainy season in the month of September and adverse flood situation in large parts of Punjab and Sindh.
Secondly, there are practical difficulties in holding poll in a single day due to shortage of resources and manpower. Thirdly, maintenance of law and order on the election day.
Read: Schedule to be issued soon: ECP
Fourthly, Hajj and Muharram during September and October and, fifthly, the ECP has learnt lesson from the LG elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Legal experts believe that both the provincial governments do not want to hold the LG polls in the near future as they are waiting for the retirement of designated chief justice Jawwad S Khawaja.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2015.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday submitted proposed schedules in the apex court for holding local government (LG) polls in Punjab and Sindh in three phases.
According to the new timelines, the first phase of LG elections will be held on November 11, second on November 29 and the third phase on December 19 in both the provinces.
The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, will examine the schedules and pass order on Thursday.
Read: Govt, ECP asked to respond to PAT plea by August 20
In the first phase, the polls will be held in 12 districts of Punjab which are: Lodhran, Vehari, Okara, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Toba Tek Singh Sargodha, Kasir, Nankana Sahib, Gujrat, Rawalpindi and Attock. While eight districts of Sindh are: Sakkur, Ghotki, Khaipur, Larkana, Qamber Shahadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore.
In the second phase, the election supervisory body has proposed that the local bodies elections will be conducted in 12 districts of Punjab which are: Khanewal, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Chinot, Khushab, Mianwali, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Chakwal and Jhelum. In Sindh, the commission has suggested 14 districts: Shaheed Benazirabad, Nosherho Feroze, Dadu, Matari, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas.
In the last phase, the poll body has recommended 12 districts of Punjab, which are Pakpattan, Layyah, Rajjan Pur, DG Khan, Muzzaffargarh, Jhang, Bhakkar, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan.
Similarly, it has also proposed seven districts of Sindh, which are Karachi West, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi Central, Korangi, Malir and Hyderabad.
The ECP in its report stated that it may exclude/include any district in the first, second and third phase at the request of the provincial government.
Five reasons
Earlier, the ECP had assured the top court that it would complete the process for holding the LG polls in both the provinces until September 26.
However, now the poll supervisory commission has submitted five reasons regarding the delay as well as holding them phase-wise.
Firstly, the ECP submitted that there is a rainy season in the month of September and adverse flood situation in large parts of Punjab and Sindh.
Secondly, there are practical difficulties in holding poll in a single day due to shortage of resources and manpower. Thirdly, maintenance of law and order on the election day.
Read: Schedule to be issued soon: ECP
Fourthly, Hajj and Muharram during September and October and, fifthly, the ECP has learnt lesson from the LG elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Legal experts believe that both the provincial governments do not want to hold the LG polls in the near future as they are waiting for the retirement of designated chief justice Jawwad S Khawaja.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2015.