Election Commission of Pakistan delays Punjab LB polls schedule
ECP was to issue election schedule in respect of Punjab and Sindh on Friday (tomorrow).
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has deferred Local Bodies (LB) polls schedule for Punjab.
As per details, the ECP was to issue election schedule in respect of Punjab and Sindh on November 29 (Friday), but no formalities including issuance of notification on delimitation were met by government of Punjab.
Election schedule will be issued on completion of delimitation of constituencies process in Punjab and no LB polls schedule will now be issued on November 29 for this province.
The ECP sources said Sindh has held out assurance in connection with completion of all preparations till the evening and schedule in respect of Sindh will be issued on Friday if preparations are completed in the province.
Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had accepted the new schedule for local bodies polls proposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the petition in this regard.
In a letter forwarded to SC registrar, theECP had suggested that local government elections in Punjab should be held on January 30, 2014, Sindh 18 January and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in February.
The commission also proposed that elections in cantonment boards of all the provinces should be held in February. However, polls would be conducted in Balochistan as per schedule on December 7.
Later, the apex court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan and provincial governments to decide the dates for the local bodies’ elections through mutual consultations.
Meanwhile‚ the ECP cancelled the previous schedule for local bodies’ polls in Sindh and Punjab.
The court allowed the ECP to announce a schedule for the election as per its proposal. After which, the ECP is now likely to formally announce a new schedule for all four provinces.
According to the schedule proposed by the election commission‚ the local bodies polls in Punjab could be held on January 30 next year‚ and in Sindh on January 18.
The Election Commission of Pakistan‚ in its letter‚ further stated that the polls in Balochistan are being arranged on December 7.
