PESHAWAR
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s request for more time to hold local government elections.
In a letter sent by the Election Commission to the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, instructions were issued to take immediate and effective steps regarding the local body elections.
The provincial government had requested additional time in view of new legislation and the law and order situation before conducting the elections, but the Election Commission did not accept this stance.
According to the letter, consultation with the provincial government is not mandatory for the process of delimitation, and the justification of weather and security conditions as obstacles to delimitation has also been rejected.
The Election Commission clarified that the provincial government’s position is unsatisfactory and that, under its constitutional responsibility, it will ensure that local government elections are held.
It was further stated that initial delimitation is possible even without a census or updated voter lists; therefore, the provincial government should immediately accelerate the delimitation process.
