ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday sought one month for holding local government elections in Sindh and Punjab provinces.
Secretary ECP Babar Yaqoob Wednesday through Munir Paracha advocate filed an application in the Supreme Court under Order XXXIII SC Rules 1980, praying to extend at least 30 days for conducting LG polls in the Punjab and Sindh.
The commission informed that due to recent floods in some districts, the election process cannot be initiated on time till the floods subside; as most of the flood victims, their household and animals are accommodated in government buildings, including schools and colleges. "Under the law polling stations cannot be established in private buildings."
The commission informed that it has initiated the process of training to Returning/Presiding Officers. However, due to recent floods certain districts have been inundated which has adversely affected the training programmes.
The attendance of Polling Staff was thin and the Retuning Officer from government departments also remained busy in flood relief activities, therefore the ECP has to rearrange training for left out officers. The ECP said: "It will affect the schedule therefore has to change the schedule from 28th July to 17th August, 2015."
The ECP informed the court that the Sindh province had framed rules as required under section 138 of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, but the provincial government wanted to make certain changes in the Act, as many important steps for the conduct of local government elections were not provided in the Act e.g. format of nomination form and the compilation of result.
It informed that the nomination forms couldn't be printed in the absence of the format provided in the rules, which is prerequisite for conduct of LG elections. The ECP had already held a meeting with Sindh chief secretary, secretary Local Government and
Secretary Law of Sindh and persuaded them to update the LG Rules because the process of election cannot be initiated without up to date rules.
The ECP informed that delimitation of local councils/wards started in March 2015 and the delimitation authorities were required to finalise the hearing of objections by 26th July. But due to huge pendency of objections/appeals the delimitation authorities have requested for extension of time. After the final disposal of objections by the delimitation authorities, the changes are to be incorporated in the preliminary delimitation. This process is also time consuming because the delimitation of councils/wards is again to be publicly notified.
It told Punjab has recently issued the Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, No. XVII of 2015 whereby certain sections of Punjab LG Act have been fully and partially substituted.
In compliance with the Supreme Court direction the ECP held LG elections in Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa, Balochistan, and Cantonment Boards, and had to initiate the process for holding the polls in Islamabad Capital Territory, Sindh and Punjab but due to floods it had sought time from the apex court.