Apex court asks ECP to adhere to LB polls schedule
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ISLAMABAD: After a grueling week for the election body that has invoked the ire of the top court over delays, the apex court has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections in Punjab and Sindh in September this year.
Take a look: SC issues final schedule of local bodies elections
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered that the ECP ensure the holding of LB polls while adhering to the schedule it has put forward.
Last week, the ECP had submitted a written schedule of holding LB polls in Punjab, Sindh and the federal capital upon the court's instructions.
Read: ECP submits third revised LG polls schedule to SC
Today, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja presided over the hearing of LB polls case and directed ECP to hold the polls on Sept 25 in Islamabad and Sept 20 in Punjab and Sindh.
During the hearing, the court questioned ECP as to why LB elections have not been held for past 17 years in Cantonment boards, nine years in the provinces and five years in the capital.
Justice Khawaja remarked that ECP is an authorised institution; it has been bestowed this authority by the constitution of Pakistan and thus it should not mock the constitution and public by delaying LB polls.
Advocate General Punjab Naveed Rasool Mirza expressed his disapproval over dates approved by the apex court by saying that in the previous years Punjab has been bit with floods in the months of August and September.
Responding to his comment, Justice Khawaja said that the prospect of floods is no reason for LB polls to be cancelled or delayed further.
The SC had earlier ordered ECP to hold LB polls on April 25 in the 43 cantonment boards and on May 30 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
