ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday ordered all provincial advocates general to submit by July 22 the date for holding local government elections in their respective provinces, DawnNews reported.

Holding of local government elections is the constitutional responsibility of the incumbent provincial governments and the polls should be held in September, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry hearing the Balochistan law and order case added.

The Election Commission of Pakistan informed the court that 90 days would be required to hold local government elections after a notification was issued in this regard.

During the hearing, advocates general of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed their readiness to hold local government polls, whereas the Sindh government asked for a five-month period, drawing the ire of the apex court bench.

Justice Iftikhar remarked that if the provincial governments were not willing to hold local government elections then the court would decide the issue and would not let any delays to occur on the matter.

He further said that the election commission should not shy away from its responsibilities and that local government polls should be held in September.

The case's hearing was subsequently adjourned to July 22.

The fate of the LG system hangs in the balance as provincial governments have so far failed to make effective legislation and give the people a better replacement for the one introduced by the Musharraf regime and address their problems at the grassroots level.