ECP gives Sindh govt two-week deadline for LG elections

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) informed the Sindh High Court on Monday that it has made it clear to the provincial government that if it does not had over the data for fresh delimitation of the constituencies by November 30 then the commission would initiate the process itself under the law currently applicable.

The ECP made its intentions clear in a report submitted to a bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh hearing a case regarding holding of local bodies election in Sindh. The counsel for the ECP submitted that in the hearing held on November 10, chief secretary Sindh did not appear and he was represented by the provincial secretary the local government.

The bench is hearing a petition filed by Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) that seeks the court’s intervention in holding local government elections in the province as per constitutional requirement.

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The ECP counsel submitted that during the last several hearings by the commission, provincial government had been given direction to provide data for initiating delimitation of constituencies but it is yet to be provided.

During the previous hearing by ECP, the Sindh government had been seeking time for passing new legislation for the local governments in the provinces, the ECP counsel submitted. He added that no time frame has been given to the commission as of yet to pass the new legislation.

The ECP counsel while referring to an order passed after a hearing on November 10, submitted that the commission noted with concern that the local governments in Sindh had expired on August 30, 2020, and the commission was under constitutional and legal obligation of holding the election within 120 days after expiry of the term of the local governments in the province.

The ECP counsel stated that the commission on the next day of expiry of term of local governments in Sindh had issued scheduled for delimitation of union councils, union committees and wards. The commission, stated the counsel referring to the order passed after November 10 hearing, that the ECP since after expiry of terms of local government had been insisting Sindh government for providing maps and requisite date for the delimitation but on one pretext or the other the same had not been provided as yet.

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“Despite all best efforts of the commission, the required assistance of the provincial government still lacks and its varying stances for gaining more and more time prima facie show that said government apparently not serious in holding the local government elections,” the ECP counsel quoted the commission November 10 order as reading.

The counsel informed the court that the commission had directed the Sindh Chief Secretary to provide necessary legislation/enactment and requisite data/notification within two weeks positively, otherwise, the commission would initiate the process of the delimitation in the province with effect from December 01, 2021, under the applicable government law – the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, and the rules framed under.

The bench after taking the report on record adjourned further hearing till January 24, 2022.