LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Thursday issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan, federal government and Punjab government in a petition seeking directions to hold censuses ahead of local bodies’ election.
A lawyer had challenged the delimitations of UCs in Punjab being done by the delimitation officials. The petitioner said that the officials were dividing union councils on the basis of censuses held in the mid 80s.
The division of UCs should be on the basis of new censuses. The government held censuses in 1998 but now the LB polls were being held while the censuses had not been held which was unlawful. –Staff Reporter
The local bodies’ elections without censuses would be a unfruitful effort, he pointed out. The petitioner prayed the court to order the authorities concerned to hold censuses prior to the local bodies’ elections.
After hearing initial arguments, the court issued notice to election commission, federal and provincial governments and sought reply within two weeks.