Hearing local bodies elections case, a three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja on Thursday termed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s report on the schedule of local bodies elections as “unsatisfactory”.
“No cogent reason has been given for a delay in proposed LB polls in Punjab and Sindh. The commission will have to give reasons for delay of each day in the elections. Newspaper reports and rain forecasts should not be made reasons for delaying the elections. LB polls are difficult to conduct but it is a truth that for the past six years, the elections have not been held,” Justice Khawaja said.
“The court is ready to change the date of the election if necessary. Punjab has accepted its failure but Sindh is not ready to take responsibility,” he said, adding that the Sindh government should tender an apology to the public if they have realised their mistake.
Sindh government’s lawyer Fatah Malik said, “We are also ready to apologise however the failure to conduct LB polls is the shortcoming of the politicians.”
The ECP’s lawyer proposed that the court should also keep in view the situation that had arisen after the resignations of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). He said that acceptance of the resignations will increase the duties of ECP.
Later on, the hearing was adjourned till August 18.
