With another warning to the provincial governments and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for delaying the holding of local bodies (LB) elections across the country, the Supreme Court (SC) Friday adjourned the case hearing till March 3.
A two-member SC bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany resumed hearing of the petitions seeking fresh directions to ECP for holding municipal elections in three provinces.
During the hearing, ECP’s counsel Akram Sheikh told the bench that ECP always tried to implement court orders in its true spirit while it were provincial authorities which were creating hurdles in holding of the polls.
Justice Khawaja remarked that 18th Constitutional Amendment was passed in 2010 in which ECP was strengthened. He observed that according to Constitution’s Article 219, ECP was responsible for holding general and LB elections while Article 220 bound all executive authorities, federal and provincial governments to assist ECP for the purpose. He observed that provincial governments had failed to hold elections in their provinces for the last five years.
The court directed the ECP to issue a final schedule of LB elections to the provinces at the next hearing.
The bench also heard Raja Rab Nawaz’s petition seeking contempt of court case proceedings against the prime minister for not holding municipal elections in cantonment boards for the past 15 years. The petitioner said that by not holding LB polls, the PM breached the Constitution and defied court orders.
Justice Osmany remarked that the chief executive of the country is responsible for delay in the elections.
Justice Khawaja remarked that the provincial governments should not further delay the matter of LB elections and should come ready with answers during the next hearing on March 3. Those provinces which have given their words but do not implement it will face action, he added.
