ISLAMABAD             -       The Election Commission of Pakistan [ECP] yesterday rejecting the request to postpone LG polls in Karachi, Hyderabad and Dadu once again issued an order to the Interior Ministry to ensure the elections tomorrow [January 15].

The electoral watchdog, in a high level meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, expressed unwillingness to further delay the local bodies elections due to legal and constitutional requirements. The ruling party in Sindh province (PPP) on Thursday had requested to postpone the elections in Karachi division, Hyderabad and two tehsils of the Dadu district, Khairpur Nathan and Meher. However, the Commission after a detailed huddle reached a consensus to hold the polls as per the schedule and ordered the interior ministry to arrange deployment of Army and Rangers personnel at highly sensitive polling stations.

The Commission found no solid reasons to postpone the polls. Moreover, the Islamabad Election Commission also formed a central control room which will be functional from today [January 14]. Senior officers will monitor the election process from the control room. It was decided to not allow anyone to disturb the election process as a strict action will be taken for violating the laws.

The MQM-P, after its reunification, has once again said that the local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad could not be held until new delimitations are done.

However, the party did not rule out its participation in the elections. Reacting to the ECP decision, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has asserted that the Commission could not reject the provincial government’s decision to postpone local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions. Speaking to the media at the launch of an electric bus service in Karachi, the Sindh minister said: “The courts have certain powers, the election commission has certain powers and the government has certain powers.” He said that the provincial government reserved the right to issue a notification for the postponement of the polls. He asserted that the Sindh government had exercised its power in accordance with the Constitution.

He said that the Sindh government had exercised its powers as some parties had expressed reservations over the delimitation of constituencies and it did not want them to feel as though they had been wronged. “We want each and every political party to be given an equal field to contest the elections.” He said that on the MQM-P’s request, the notification issued under Section 10(1) of the Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013, was withdrawn, adding that this was the Sindh government’s “constitutional right”. Memon said the Sindh government would review the ECP’s written verdict and inform the people about any further measures.