Something that needs to be done right away
The government is supposed to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution. Holding elections of the Local Governments is a constitutional obligation of those in power. For an entire five-year term, 2008-13, the PPP and PML-N failed to perform their duty. A little before the last elections all major political parties promised to hold the LG polls within three months of coming to power. Some 16 months after the elections the polls are still nowhere in sight. Once in the driving seat the elected governments are unwilling to part with the development funds which they have to hand over to the Local Governments if these are elected. They seek the prolongation of their rule by strengthening their supporters through development work in their areas while weakening the opponents by denying them their share of the funds. The Chief Ministers prefer to use the money on the fancy schemes of their own choice.
Soon after the elections nearly every party complained of some sort of rigging having taken place. The PTI maintained that it was a well-planned attempt to snatch the victory from its jaws through fraud. Despite the complaints the government did not move for electoral reforms for more than a year. It appointed a Parliamentary Committee for the purpose only when threatened by the PTI of a countrywide agitation. The office of the CEC remains vacant for over a year. The Constitution requires the appointment of a permanent CEC. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the House who are to make the appointment through consultation have met several times meanwhile but failed to take up the matter despite it being a constitutional obligation.
It is an unhappy situation when the SC has to remind the government again and again of its duties. As the Leader of the Opposition still wanted to delay the nomination of a permanent CEC, he was told to finish the exercise within a fortnight. Hopefully this will also force the Parliamentary Committee on Election Reforms to finish its task at the earliest.