Political leadership across the country has expressed its appreciation for the SC’s reconciliatory approach and decision to extend the LB polls dates but doubts still persist over the future of these elections – whether the polls will be held at all with a new schedule with a perception that some political forces are least interested in organising the LB polls. At the same time, there is also a palpable sense of relief among the political leaders over the new dates of LG polls, especially in the wake of recent outburst in the National Assembly.
The apex court in response to the ECP petition has agreed to give more time to the latter for holding the polls. Now the polls in Punjab will be held on January 30 as opposed to December 7. Similarly, the date for polls in Sindh has also been changed.
With the new dates for LB polls, it appears that the schedule issued earlier by the ECP has become redundant and with that the entire nomination process witnessed so far is no longer valid. After the revision of election dates, now the ECP will issue new schedules for which new nomination papers will also be provided.
The SC has constituted a new three-member bench which will further deal with the ECP petition. Showing the urgency once shown by the apex court is no longer there especially after the reaction and attitude from the political leadership. Moreover, the fresh dates of election come after the retirement of incumbent chief justice who, so far, has shown extraordinary interest in holding the elections.
Some political quarter still believe that the governments in Punjab and Sindh have little interest and urgency to hold LB polls and devolve power at the lowest level.
PPP Secretary Information Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the SC had given time to the ECP up to January 30 next year to hold election as per its request and now the commission should focus on the issue of delimitation of constituencies and voters’ list to ensure in absolute term the credibility of LB elections.
He recalled that most of the political parties had raised serious reservations over the May 2013 elections. However, he expressed his satisfaction over the holding of election in Punjab on party-basis as per the decision of LHC on a petition filed by the PPP.
PML (Q) senior leader Raja Basharat welcoming the decision of SC condemned the role of Punjab government. He was of the view that the government should have come forward to clear doubts on the fate of polls but, unfortunately, it did not happen.
