SC rejects K-P govt’s plea seeking delay in local bodies elections

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s plea seeking delay in the local bodies elections across the province.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial conducted the hearing of the plea.

During the hearing the court was informed that the Election Commission of Pakistan has already taken two years to issue a schedule for local bodies elections in KP and the election commission is taking steps to implement the Peshawar High Court (PHC) decision.

The PHC in its decision had directed the ECP to hold elections on the basis of parties as per the schedule.

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Justice Bandial remarked that there was a need to strengthen political parties as they could not be excluded from political activities.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked that not even a single party approached the court in this regard. The parties should approach the high court in this regard.

The KP advocate general said that the province need true representation that’s why an election was needed.

He further said that the verdict issued by the high court had no place in law. He asked the top court that they would appeal to change the polling date.

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Justice Bandial remarked that to strengthen the democracy there was a need to bolster the political parties. “They couldn’t be ignored in any political activity,” he said.

He further remarked that there would be no change in local bodies election date and adjourned the hearing.