The Supreme Court has directed all four provinces and the federal government to hold local government elections in the last week of November 2013.
It also asked the provinces to issue notification about demarcation of constituencies and present the same to the court on Wednesday, October 23.
A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Gulzar Ahmad said if elections were not held before December according to the constitution, it would issue order to the federal and provincial governments in line with the constitution.
In his remarks, the chief justice said 60% population of the country was below poverty line and the local government elections would benefit these poor people. He said the administrators were acting like kings in their districts and the courts would not allow any compromise on the constitution.
Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar informed the court that legislation on new local government system would be completed and submitted to the cabinet soon. He said local government elections were earlier conducted under two different ordinances that were enforced by a dictator and they had lapsed with his departure.
He said for the first time a local body system was being enforced in the federal capital and it was possible that a Presidential Ordinance was enforced for this purpose.
At this, the chief justice asked him to inform the court about the consequences the federation and the provinces would face if the constitution was not followed.
The Punjab advocate general said in his report that demarcation of constituencies had been completed and only objections were being heard. He said a final gazette notification would be issued on November 4.
The Sindh advocate general said the ECP would be requested in the first week of November to hold elections. He said demarcation of constituencies had been completed.
The KP advocate general said due to precarious law and order and Eid holidays, the new local bodies rules act could not be passed and hoped that it would be passed during the current week. Representative of the Balochistan government did not appear in court.
The apex court directed the provinces to submit the notifications of constituencies by October 23 and adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.