ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court Thursday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to give polling date for local government (LG) elections in the Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday (today).
The two-judge bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, heard the case of local government elections in the Punjab, Sindh and KP, hinting at fixing responsibility over delay in holding LG polls in the last five years.
The court said they would see what kind of order it should pass under the Constitution over non-functioning of LG system and who were responsible for the delay of such elections in the country.
The court observed they had highlighted the importance of LG polls in so many cases. The court held citizens’ complaints against the police under the existing law could not be removed on account of non-functioning of LG system.
The bench further observed it could not remain silent over the difficulties faced by the people due to non-functioning of LG system as well as dissolution of financial and administrative system.
The court, in its order, said they had given long hearing to this case and were disturbed that a provision regarding holding of LG polls was inserted in the Constitution through 17th Amendment in 2002, but, subsequently, Article 140-A was incorporated in 18th Constitutional Amendment. The court also pointed out that only the Balochistan government had held the LG polls.
During the hearing, both the Punjab and Sindh governments threw the ball into the ECP’s court by saying they were ready to hold the LG polls on any date to be announced by the commission.
Punjab Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal stated the Punjab had provided all the requisite information pertaining to demarcation of local areas and determination of number of union councils as well as wards to the commission. He added the provincial government was ready to hold LG polls on any date recommended by the ECP. He stated the requisite information to the extent of 35 districts except Lahore was completed on February 6, 2015.
Sindh Advocate General Fateh Malik also gave similar undertaking to the bench and stated that the Sindh Assembly had passed the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2015 on February 24, 2015.
Akram Sheikh, counsel for ECP, however, pointed out the Sindh government, in its report, had stated that it was prepared to hold LG polls after February 2016 and this had also been conveyed to the commission.
He also said, according to the ECP officials, the requisite information pertaining to six districts of the Punjab was being awaited till February 6. The Punjab chief secretary, however, furnished the certificates regarding the receipt of the requisite information by the district focal persons on January 29.
Regarding the holding of LG polls in Cantonment Areas, Deputy Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti told the bench that promulgation of the ordinance to amend the Cantonment Act 1924 had been delayed because of the Senate session.
Upon this, the bench summoned the attorney general for Pakistan over delay in the holding of the LG polls in Cantonment Areas and adjourned the hearing till today (Friday).