ISLAMABAD - The Sindh government Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it is not possible to hold local government elections in the province before February 2016.
In compliance to the apex court's February 12 order, Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiana, in his written statement stated that the Sindh Assembly has passed the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2015 on February 24, 2015 and the Sindh government is prepared to hold the LG polls after February, 2016 and this has also been conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner. The chief secretary Sindh expressed inability to appear before the Supreme Court in Local Government elections case today.
He submitted he has great respect for the court and whenever is required, he is ready to appear before the apex court. However, the prime minister is visiting Karachi today and holding different meetings on the law and order situation of the metropolitan, therefore, he has to attend those meetings.
The chief secretary prayed the court to dispense his presence before the court in LG polls case on Thursday.
The Punjab government's reply stated that the provincial government has removed all anomalies in consultation with Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) and all requisite information pertaining to demarcation of local areas and determination of number of Union Councils and wards has been provided to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) upto its satisfaction.
Secretary Local Government Khalid Masood Chaudhry stated that now ECP will initiate the process of delimitation of Union Councils and wards in terms of sections 8, 9 and 10 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2013.
The report further states that the requisite information to the extent of 35 districts except Lahore was completed till February 6, 2015 ad provided by the District Focal Persons of the provincial government to the district focal persons.