SC turns down KP govt plea for holding local body election on new date

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday turned down the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government plea, seeking a new date for holding local government elections’ second phase in the province.

The apex court two-member bench heard the petition moved by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) Abbottabad bench order.

During the hearing, KP Advocate General told the court that no consultation was made on this issue, and therefore, the elections should be postponed.

The SC bench forwarded the case to ECP and directed it to hold proceedings and conclude the matter. The apex court also ordered both the parties to present their stance before the commission.

The bench remarked that the case had become ineffective after the issuance of a new schedule.

Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan remarked that the court would not set a wrong example by suspending the polls.

The top court suspended the order of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to postpone the second phase of local body elections in KP, after which the Election Commission released a new schedule.

The bench further remarked that the ECP to decide about the election schedule. “This is not the job of SC to decide the matter. Why should the SC interfere in election matters?”

The SC upheld the PHC decision and turned down the KP government plea seeking a new date for holding local government elections.