Sindh LG elections: ECP reserves verdict on MQM-P's plea against voter lists
Pakistan
Sindh LG elections: ECP reserves verdict on MQM-P's plea against voter lists
KARACHI (Dunya News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday reserved its verdict on reservations raised by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) over ambiguity in voter lists in Karachi and Hyderabad ahead of the second phase of local government elections.
An ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of the MQM-P and other parties.
At the outset of the hearing, the MQM-P lawyer argued that use of old voter lists for LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad was illegal. The chief election commission said the political party had been moving courts in the past over the delimitation issue, adding: “Why doesn t the MQM come up with all the issues at once”. He remarked that the MQM contested elections in 2018 with the same voter lists which were now being used for the LG elections.
The CEC also reprimanded the MQM lawyer for beating about the bush while submitting the arguments. He also remarked that the LG elections, which are scheduled for Jan 15, would not be delayed in any way.
The Sindh government sought a week to submit arguments in the case as Additional Advocate General Fauzia Zafar appeared before the ECP unprepared. The CEC abolished the defence right of the provincial government after its lawyer showed up in the case without preparation.
The Jamat-e-Islami representative told the ECP that attempts were being made to delay the elections. He asked the electoral body to ensure that the LG polls were held on time.
ECP special secretary Zafar Iqbal said people became eligible for vote with every passing day, adding that it would be impossible to hold elections if the MQM-P’s reservations on voter lists were accepted. The DG law of the electoral body also asked the ECP to reject the MQM-P’s petition.
