Sindh LG polls
PTI moves SHC against ECP schedule
KARACHI
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in a letter to the election commission has objected over holding local government polls in Sindh in two phases.
The party has demanded to hold local government polls in province in three phases like in 2015.
The party’s deputy convener Kunwar Naveed Jamil has sent the letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
“The MQM is the largest party of urban Sindh. The election commission meant to hold free, fair and transparent elections, while the local government department has announced to hold the polls in two phases in the province,” the letter read.
“The 2015 elections were held according to the population census held in 1998. In 2015 Karachi had six districts and 30 million population, while the ground situation has now drastically changed,” according to the letter.
“According to the 2017 Census the city have a population count of around 50 million with new districts and towns,” MQM letter read.
“The election will be held in seven districts, 25 towns and one Metropolitan Corporation in the city,” the letter read. “The election will require additional staff, increase in security and more polling stations.”
“In existing circumstances, holding local government election in two phases could affect the security situation,” according to the letter. “The election commission should review the situation and ensure holding LG polls in three phases in the province,” the MQM suggests in the letter.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) challenging the schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the local government polls in Sindh. The petition was filed by Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh, Firdous Shamim Naqvi and other PTI leaders.
In a plea, the party requested the SHC to suspend ECP schedule regarding local government elections and order the election body for amendments to Sindh LG law in light of the Supreme Court (SC) decision. “ECP April 14 notification regarding local government polls in Sindh is illegal and clear violation of apex court ruling on Sindh LG Act 2013,” the party further contended in the petition.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on April 20 announced schedule of the first phase of local government (LG) polls in Sindh.
The elections will be held in four Municipal Corporations and 11 Town Municipal Corporations in the first phase of local councils elections in Sindh, the electoral body stated. Moreover, the voters will elect their local representatives for 93 union committees, 23 municipal committees and 101 town committees, according to the schedule. The polls will also be held in province’s 14 District Councils and 794 Union Councils in the first phase. The local councils elections will be held on June 26 (Sunday), the election commission announced. The election symbols will be issued to the candidates on May 28. The result of the first phase of the local bodies’ elections in Sindh will be announced on June 30.
